Never Again
by CrysStar
Summary: After a two year's separation, Bankotsu and Jakotsu are reunited with one catch: Keep their love secret! Comedy, Romance, and angst unite in this work of art. Other pairings: Sango Miroku, Inuyasha Kagome yaoi
1. Agitated Room Mates and Hungover Hanyou

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as today is her birthday. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again **

Chapter One: Agitated Room Mates and Hungover Hanyou

Bankotsu stepped into his bedroom, carelessly tossing the box of clothes he'd packed onto his bed, awakening his roommate with a start.

"Didn't hear you come in…" Inuyasha mumbled, burying his head in Bankotsu's pillow to try to avoid the sunlight that had been pouring in through the window for hours.

"You never do," Bankotsu sighed, plopping down on the bed next to him and rolling over so that he lay partially atop his roommate, with his head resting on his back.

He absently toyed with a few strands of Inuyasha's long, silvery hair as he began whispering a warning to him.

"You know... Anyone could just walk in and see us like this…"  
Bankotsu hinted, shifting slightly so that his left leg rested comfortably on Inuyasha's.

Inuyasha grumbled into Bankotsu's pillow, not even bothering to protest.

"Come on Inuyasha," Bankotsu persisted, sitting up and repositioning himself so that he was no longer straddling his companion.

"We have to do this before Jakotsu gets here!"

Once again, Inuyasha's reply was something that sounded similar to, "Mmmfgh…"

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Bankotsu almost growled, frustrated.

Usually anything even hinting toward homosexuality made Inuyasha extremely uncomfortable and freaking Inuyasha out had always been the easiest way for Bankotsu to get what he wanted from him.

Deciding it was time for a different approach; Bankotsu crawled over to the other side of his bed and pulled the blanket from Inuyasha's body, placing his hands on his back in order to shake him out of his drowsy stupor.

"All right, all right…" Inuyasha mumbled, rolling over onto his back and coming face to face with a very agitated Bankotsu.

Inuyasha knew something must've really upset his roommate this time, because he usually only resorted to anything physically uncomfortable for both of them when he really needed help.

"What's wrong?"

"I told you last night! I forgot about Typhoon Season and when I reminded Jakotsu, he said he'd just leave early and he's gonna be here a week before we planned!"

Bankotsu explained hurriedly, almost losing his balance as he hopped down from his bed and began stuffing Inuyasha's boxed up clothes into his new dresser.

"So what?" Inuyasha sighed, resting his head back on Bankotsu's pillow.

"So what! So today's the Friday before Jakotsu was supposed to arrive and therefore; Jakotsu will be here today, in a matter of hours!"

"Oh…" Inuyasha said, finally beginning to remember the conversation he'd had on the phone with Bankotsu last night before he'd downed the last three bottles of sake in the house.

"So that's why I woke up in your room…" Inuyasha mumbled, as if it had anything to do with what Bankotsu was frantically trying to discuss with him.

"Inuyasha, you promised you'd start moving your shit into my room last night!" Bankotsu sighed, hurrying back to Inuyasha's room to get another box of his clothes to transfer to his own room.

"Well I meant too… I just kept forgetting what I was supposed to be doing," Inuyasha called after him in self defense. He then got up from the bed and began trying to shake off the remains of his very painful hangover.

"And your bed was feeling way too tempting… I dunno if I've told you this, but that bed is really comfortable when your crazy roommate isn't trying to freak you out with queerness…"

"I'm not even sure that's a real word…"

Bankotsu shook his head wearily, but then sighed in relief as Inuyasha walked into his old room and started helping him box things up. Particularly glass items and valuable possessions, as Bankotsu had been carelessly tossing everything into whichever box was most convenient.

"Didn't you say we've got a few hours?" Inuyasha asked, hoping to calm him down a bit.

"Not when it comes to Jakotsu," Bankotsu replied, catching Inuyasha's drift and slowing his pace a bit. "He's always showing up either early or uninvited, and besides, I was hoping to limit the amount of time you had to spend with him as much as I could…."

"Why? He's your old high school friend right? I told you I'd put up with him since you wanted him here so badly… I don't care that he's queer..."

"It's not that... I just have this feeling." Bankotsu explained, "I don't think you two would get along very well…"

"Oh I see…" Inuyasha said lowly as he walked out of the room.

"Don't want me moving in on your territory ne?.."

He heard a faint "What?" from his old room and raised his voice so Bankotsu could hear him.

"I said, 'I'll be really busy with class and Kagome anyway! I won't be around much, remember!'"

"Speaking of Kagome," Bankotsu began, as he reentered his room and placed another box of Inuyasha's stuff on the ground. "Is she the reason my entire supply of sake has been wiped out?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded apologetically as he began organizing what was now his side of Bankotsu's room. "I'll pay you back tomorrow."

Bankotsu nodded, not even bothering to ask Inuyasha what was going on in his relationship with Kagome. He didn't really care to know, and wasn't in a good state to cheer him up or act sympathetic.

Bankotsu had never been one to try to understand, let alone please, the delicate heart of a woman. And that was precisely why, everyone thought, Bankotsu avoided relationships.

But Bankotsu knew otherwise. He was well-aware of the fact that his body did not yearn for the love a woman could offer, that his heart did not desire that of a female to soothe its dull, lonesome ache.

At this point in his life, Bankotsu had tried many times to understand the appeal women had on other men, but had yet to feel it himself.

So he didn't have any reason to try to engage in, and sustain a relationship with a woman as Inuyasha did.

Bankotsu shook his head to try to clear his mind a bit. His thoughts were clouded with worry, confusion, and excitement and he knew that his anxiety was starting to show.

He hadn't even been able to keep his cool this morning while he had been trying to disturb Inuyasha into getting up to help move his things into what would soon be their new room.

It looked to be the beginning of a very grim day, but Bankotsu still had hopes for the future. It was Jakotsu, after all, who was on his way to come live with him.

Bankotsu wasn't sure why, but to him, any situation involving Jakotsu had a high chance of complete success.

Bankotsu reasoned that even though he and Inuyasha were a bit off schedule, with a little luck, they could have the room cleared out well before Jakotsu arrived. But that didn't mean that Inuyasha would have time to get out of the house before then...

(AN: All stories have a beginning  
just as all have an end

What marks the start of a new journey  
a youngtale of life  
of love

A piece of perfection  
of entertainment

A fanfic )

(AN. Hope you like it so far! Especially the disturbing hint of Inuyasha/Bankotsu!  
EWWWW! Talk about a bad pairing!  
There's alot more to come though, so don't get too attached to the whole Ban/Inu deal!

Also, I hope everyone enjoys the poems I've written, dedicated to each chapter!

PS. I frikkin love you Skittlez!)


	2. Initiate Bankotsus Master Plan

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again **

Chapter Two: Classical Plays, Evil Rubber Ducks, and Rushed Preparations.  
In Other Words, the Initiation of Bankotsu's Master Plan.

After two hours of moving Inuyasha's possessions and organizing them in their new room, Bankotsu and Inuyasha finally got a chance to sit down for a break.

"What do you need all of this stupid shit for anyway?" Bankotsu asked, tossing yet another framed picture over to Inuyasha, who caught it hastily.

"Same reason you need yours... To live comfortably, maybe?" Inuyasha suggested, placing the picture frame safely on his bedside table.

Bankotsu shrugged, standing up on his tired legs to walk over to the kitchen table, where his cordless phone rested in it's usual spot.  
He picked it up and pressed the number two speed dial, and upon hearing the voice on the other end, put on his innocently enthusiastic voice for her.

"Hey Kagome, you know how Inuyasha didn't want to take you to that special classical play you really wanted to see? The one that only happens once every five years that everyone's going to see?"

"Um... yeah..."

"Well I talked it over with him, and now that he knows about how interesting the olden times really were, he's changed his mind about taking you!"

At this point Bankotsu held the phone away from his ear as the squealing of an excited teenage girl came through the earpiece.

"Um anyway..." He said, once she'd quieted enough to hear him.  
"So if you'd come on over, he'll take you to go see it, just as soon as he gets out of the shower that is. That's why I decided to call and let you know."

"Thanks Bankotsu!"

"You're wel-"  
Bankotsu hung up at the sound of the dial tone on the other end.

He then walked back into what was now his and Inuyasha's room and turned to the silver-haired boy stretched out across his new bed.

"Kagome's on her way and you're taking her to that classical play she wanted to see."  
Bankotsu stated, pulling his shirt off over his head and gathering his shower supplies.

"WHAT!"

------------------------------- -------------------------------  
-- Scene change! --  
------------------------------- -------------------------------

Kagome ran into the kitchen, hurriedly pulling her sweater on over her shoulders.  
"Sango, Tsubaki get up! We're going to the play!" She announced, smiling widely at her two roommates.

"Wha..?" Tsubaki mumbled, pulling her face out of a pillow and nearly rolling off of the side of the couch.

Sango continued with her cereal, talking in between bites.  
"Oh, so Inuyasha doesn't think you're a selfish bitch anymore?"

"Nope! And we're not breaking up, apparently!"

"That's great..." Tsubaki said sarcastically, yawning as she sat up and pulled her hair back out of her eyes.

"Come on you guys, he's gonna pay for us all!" Kagome said, trying to urge Sango from her comfy place at the table.

"He said he'd do that?" Sango asked, very surprised. "I can't believe he got over himself so quickly this time!"

"Well no... He didn't say that exactly, but I'm sure Bankotsu and I can talk him into it."

"Well in that case, I think I will join you," Tsubaki said with a sly grin.  
She then flipped open her cell phone and walked off toward the bathroom.

Forty minutes later all three of the girls had finally finished getting dressed, and Kagome yelled a warning to the other two before she headed downstairs to the student parking lot to look for Sango's car.

Sango rushed Tsubaki out the door, open purse and black eyeliner in hand, and hurried out to meet Kagome.

"Hold up..." Tsubaki sighed, knowing Sango wasn't there to listen as she put up her eyeliner and fumbled through her purse for the keys to the dorm.

She reentered the common room and snatched up Renkotsu's leather jacket from the sofa, then hurried back out to meet the others.

------------------------------- -------------------------------  
-- Scene change! --  
------------------------------- -------------------------------

Bankotsu stood, pulling off his towel after having been shoved out of the bathroom.  
"Gah, all that effort to wash up so he'll smell nice for a girl..."

He shook his head in the direction of the bathroom as the sound of running water signaled Inuyasha's usual rushed showering.

"At least I don't do it for other men!" Inuyasha yelled over the noise, hoping Bankotsu had heard him.

"You just shut up and make yourself smell pretty!" Bankotsu called back through the door.

"Better than making myself _look_ pret- shit!"

Bankotsu laughed to himself at the sound of Inuyasha tripping, once again, over his many rubber ducks.

Bankotsu couldn't help but smile at how well his plan was working as he pulled on his usual baggy black pants and fastened his belt around his waist.

Bankotsu then sat, shirtless, on his bed and began brushing out his long black hair before beginning to braid it.

"I can't believe you told her I'd take her to see that dumb ass play!" Inuyasha fumed, emerging from the shower in a blur of silver hair and pale skin.

"Hey, at least you know that whatever trouble you were in last night is history."  
Bankotsu offered, shrugging it off. "She's pretty happy about this play."

He ducked quickly as a rubber duck flew over his head, bouncing off the wall with a squeak.

"Of course she is! She loves stupid shit like this." Inuyasha mumbled, pulling on his baggy red pants over his black boxers. "The whole frikkin city is in an uproar over this stupid shit! I mean, who in their right mind would want to see some play about two loser samurai and their little girlfriend searching for a 'sunflower dude' in feudal Japan?"

Bankotsu shrugged once again, putting his purple silk tie on the end of his braid.  
"It doesn't sound so bad to me..."

"Yeah, nothing that's gay ever sounds bad to you..." Inuyasha mumbled, rather than thinking it as he'd planned to.

"And what's that supposed to mean!" Bankotsu asked, immediately raising his head from his braid.  
He fingered the silk tie nervously, a precious gift from Jakotsu...

"Nothing," Inuyasha answered quickly as he realized what he'd just let slip.  
"I didn't mean it like that... Just forget I said it!" He called, hurrying into the kitchen to grab something to eat on the way to the theatre.

Bankotsu pouted slightly, staring off absently at the doorway Inuyasha had just run through.  
"I'm not really gay..." He mumbled to himself. "Jakotsu's the only one who..."

He shook his head, standing up as the doorbell sounded throughout the small house.

"I'm not getting it!" Inuyasha yelled as he ran by Bankotsu and locked himself in the bathroom to finish getting dressed and comb through his long hair.

Bankotsu walked silently to the door, cautiously unlocking it as he suddenly realized that the person at the door could be Kagome...  
Or his sorely missed companion, Jakotsu...

_'If it is him I'm not ready for this!'_ Bankotsu's mind warned him as he looked down at his state of undress and lack of a gift to give him.

He closed his eyes tightly as he turned the doorknob and pulled the door open.

(AN. When a long awaited arrival presents itself, just minutes from the present, things begin to change quickly.

For better or for worse, these changes will occur.  
When they do, one is left to make the decision of how one reacts to them.

The preparations having been made, one is left only to summon one's strength and face the future.)


	3. The Lies Begin

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again **

Chapter Three: The Point at Which The Truth Ends and The Lies Begin

(AN. Short I know, but it is four pages of yumminess. I hope you'll enjoy it!)

"Bankotsu?"

Relief flooded through him as he recognized Kagome's familiar voice and he took a deep, calming breath as he opened his eyes.

"You okay?" Sango asked, waving a hand in front of his surprisingly responsive eyes.

"He's out of it again?" Tsubaki interrupted, pushing past her roommates and into Bankotsu and Inuyasha's rented house.

"What a weirdo..." She mumbled, proceeding into the back of the house where she knew Inuyasha's room was.

"Hey dog boy! Get out here with your keys and card and take me out! We don't have all fuckin' day you kn-" Tsubaki raised an eyebrow at Inuyasha's now empty room.

"What the hell?.." She mumbled, turning around as Inuyasha emerged from Bankotsu's room.

"Oh, so you guys sleep together now huh?" She asked, following Inuyasha down the hall.  
"Hey if you're gonna be emptying a room you might not want to leave the window open..." She commented, glaring at him as he ignored her.

"I thought you'd get together eventually." She continued on the subject of his and Bankotsu's relationship.  
"Tell me this whole trip isn't a 'sorry I'm gay' type thing..."

"You're just as suspicious and bitchy as your boyfriend." Inuyasha replied, greeting Kagome with a slightly hesitant hug.

"I can't wait! Thanks so much Inuyasha for taking us!" Kagome said, hugging him until he began to choke before releasing him.

Inuyasha took a step back, beginning to explain the situation a little faster than he'd intended.

"Well actually, Bankotsu told you I'd do it because he kinda wanted to be alone with his old high school friend who's moving in, which is why I moved into his room...  
But anyway he..."

"What?.." Kagome asked, urging him to continue in her excitement.

"He..." Inuyasha sighed in defeat.  
"Was kind enough to help me out by calling while I was busy unpacking and getting ready... So let's just get going."

"Finally!" Tsubaki grumbled, pulling Kagome back toward the door, opening it, and shoving her out.  
Kagome turned around to head to the car, only to find herself face to face with a tall, shockingly-feminine, black headed man.

"Hey," he greeted her, putting down his suitcase in order to wave.

Kagome stared speechlessly at his painted lips and the odd fang-shaped tattoos going down each of his cheeks for a minute before her eyes fell on his strange choice of apparel: a tight purple fishnet-sleeved shirt with black snake scale patterns, and a long black skirt with a slit up the left side, exposing most of his leg.

The man before her raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, leaning sideways to peer behind her.  
"Bankotsu lives here right?"

Kagome turned back around and walked past Tsubaki, who was giving the strange guy a suspicious glare.  
"Um Bankotsu, is this your high school friend?" Kagome asked, gesturing behind herself.

"Jakotsu!" Bankotsu gasped, taking a step forward to shield Inuyasha from his view.  
"You're early!.." He continued, trying to look happy about it.

"Yeah," he replied, stepping into the apartment to put his suitcase down.

"So who's the filth?"  
"So who's the fruitcake?"

Bankotsu sighed in defeat, his plans crashing down before his eyes as Jakotsu turned to the girl who'd asked about him.

His eyes fell on Tsubaki and he took a step toward her before Bankotsu caught him by the arm and pulled him back to himself, wrapping his arms around him in the welcome hug he'd promised to give him many days before.

Instantly forgetting about Tsubaki, Jakotsu cuddled closer to Bankotsu in his embrace, closing his eyes and wasting no time hugging him back.

Bankotsu removed his left hand from Jakotsu's back and signaled for Inuyasha to hurry and leave before Jakotsu had the chance to turn around and see just how many "pieces of filth" were in his new home.

Inuyasha caught Bankotsu's eye and hurried Sango and Kagome back out the door with Tsubaki, locking it behind himself.

"Come now, ask questions later..." He instructed the girls, leading them to his car and unlocking it with the keychain remote.

Kagome got in on the passenger side and she and Tsubaki questioned Inuyasha about Jakotsu as soon as he'd pulled out of the parking lot.

"That's his high school friend you mentioned right?"  
"Are you sure that wasn't his high school _boy_friend?"

Inuyasha shrugged, not taking his eyes off of the road.  
"I'm not sure about their relationship, but I did see that guy in a few of Bankotsu's framed pictures... I'm sure it's him."

"Well he did look a bit odd..." Kagome said, pondering Bankotsu's relationship with the strangely feminine man. "But Bankotsu seemed so..."

"Why else would he have wanted us to leave so suddenly? He must've wanted some _alone_ time with his old fuckbuddy." Tsubaki interrupted, propping her knees up on the back of Kagome's seat, and laying back lazily.

"I don't know... It could've been because his friend didn't seem too happy to see us.  
What was the term he used?..."

"Filth," Inuyasha answered, "Bankotsu warned me about that. Apparently his friend hates women..."  
_'Makes sense, considering he's gay...'_

"I think he sent us out for our protection..." Sango finally spoke her opinion.  
"Did you see that look in his eyes when he saw Tsubaki?"

Kagome nodded, turning to stare thoughtfully out the window at the passing scenery.  
Sango was right... She remembered that look of utter loathing. And yet, he'd been civil to her when she almost ran into him at the door...

She turned to look into the mirror and caught a glance at Tsubaki, who was staring fixedly at her cell phone, apparently contemplating something.

Maybe there was something more, aside from sex that Jakotsu had against her...

(AN. There is always a time when the truth ends and the lies begin.  
The truth may be hidden, whether for one's own good or for the good of others.

As long as the truth remains there, no one needs to feel the pain of knowing they've been lied to. As long as the truth remains hidden, everyone has the chance to live happily.

Or do they?)


	4. Love: Hidden yet Undeniable

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as today is her birthday. Only she could inspire something this weird...  
So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

Never Again

Chapter Four: Love; Hidden, but Undeniable

(AN. This is the reason I had to take the warning of "Light shounenai" from the sumarry...  
I dunno about you, but I don't consider this light. It turned out pretty heavy, it's rating is around M, 16 and up please!

If you do NOT like heavy shounenai - though I don't know why you're even here reading this...-  
then you may want to skip reading this chapter. You can scroll to the bottom for a brief summary of what you missed!

No, there isn't another, even heavier, version. This is all ya get! lol.

I swear, I work so har to limit the yaoi and make everything rated a fair "T" and this is the thanks I get?  
lol. Well that's why I stay in the business. I love my reviewers!

Anyways, I toned it down a bit, but it's still nice and limey.  
I'm sure it'll make the fangirls happy!

As always, Read, Review, and most importantly, ENJOY!)

"Jakotsu..." Bankotsu gasped as he was pushed against the kitchen wall.  
Jakotsu silenced him with a deep kiss, sliding his tongue easily into his mouth.

Bankotsu mumbled something into his mouth, bringing his arms up between them and pushing gently, yet firmly, on his chest.

Jakotsu released him reluctantly and stepped back to give him some space and time to catch his breath.

"Yes, my love?" He smiled innocently, moving forward, but ensuring that he was no longer pinning his companion so firmly against the wall. He then wrapped his arms around his waist, running his hands along his belt until they reached the buckle.

"We... Can't do this..." Bankotsu choked, still trying to catch his breath.

"Oh, I beg to differ..." Jakotsu replied, sliding Bankotsu's belt skillfully through each of the loops before finally removing it completely.

"Don't you need to bring your stuff in to set up your roo-"  
"It can wait." Jakotsu cut him off, draping his belt around his neck and pulling him toward the nearest bedroom.

"Jakotsu, it's too soon..."  
Bankotsu persisted as Jakotsu opened the door to his room and surveyed the beds.

"This one's yours isn't it?"  
He asked, indicating the one on the right, with black covers and dark purple pillows.

"Listen Jakotsu..."  
Jakotsu turned around, walking past Bankotsu to shut and lock the door.

"If Inuyasha's forgotten something he'll come back and..."

"I don't care." Jakotsu pulled the belt from his neck and Bankotsu braced himself as he shoved him back, onto the bed.  
"Mou... Didn't mean to push you." Jakotsu said, bowing apologetically as Bankotsu sat up and scooted back so that his legs were resting comfortably on the bed.

Jakotsu pulled off his shirt and slid quickly out of his skirt.  
He then crawled over the bed frame, settling himself on his new roommate's lap.

Bankotsu wrapped his arms around Jakotsu before he could do anything else, and Jakotsu embraced him in return, resting his chin on his shoulder.

"It's been so long..." Jakotsu almost whined, sighing contentedly as he held Bankotsu even tighter to himself.

Bankotsu nodded in agreement, reveling in his love's warm embrace.  
It had truly been too long since he'd been able to feel him like this; their chests pressed firmly to one another, with Jakotsu's warm, inner thighs on either side of his waist.

Bankotsu closed his eyes, the lie he'd been living without his lover unraveling swiftly, being replaced by the truth he'd accepted into his heart years ago.

He didn't even care if Inuyasha did return home and see them like this, didn't care if his room mate questioned his sexuality.

To Bankotsu, it was not a question of sexuality, because Jakotsu was the only person on earth that he could possibly love. He felt that he'd still love him even if he was a woman, and so, it was more his fate than sexuality in every way.

They spent a moment in silence, both minds wandering back to past times of passion-filled embraces and warm nights under the stars.

The two "best friends" had been together since their early years of high school, and each remembered their times of hiding themselves from their family and friends.  
Spend-the-night parties nearly ending in disaster, stolen kisses in closets, cars, and bathrooms, late night phone calls, and of course, late night meetings.

Years that neither of them could ever forget, nor regret.

They knew they belonged together. And that was why, after being separated by different colleges for two full years, they had made arrangements to come back together, each man accepting the fact that he was incomplete without the other.

One stupid incident had been enough to pull them apart after high school, but they weren't going to let it happen again. So they had joined hands in order to dive, this time more carefully, back into the murky waters of each other's love.

Jakotsu was first to snap out of his past world of memories, the sound of Bankotsu's belt hitting the floor as he dropped it cut through the silence and he pulled away from Bankotsu in order to gaze into his eyes.

Bankotsu couldn't help but lean upward, his lips meeting those of the taller man who now sat on his lap. His love kissed him back, taking the opportunity to slide his hands down between them and unbutton his pants.

He then put his weight on Bankotsu's chest in order to push him back down so he lay flat on the bed.  
Jakotsu proceeded to unzip his pants as well, toying with the top band of his boxers.

Bankotsu broke the kiss and tilted his head back, knowing that they would need a bit more mobility to continue.

Jakotsu sat up, putting his weight on his knees and scooting back in order to work Bankotsu's pants off. He finally succeeded in pulling them down as low as he needed and wasted no time in pulling them completely off and dropping them to the ground where they landed near his own shed clothing.

Jakotsu then resettled himself atop his companion, balancing his weight on his knees and forearms.  
He gazed into his lover's gorgeous eyes almost hungrily before lowering himself so that his head rested gently on the side of Bankotsu's.

"Aisuru..." Bankotsu began, taking his opportunity to talk to him again.  
"Hmm?" Jakotsu mumbled, closing his mouth over the side of Bankotsu's neck and beginning to suck and nibble on it.

"I've missed you..." Bankotsu said, trying not to ruin his words by moaning. "So much..."  
In reply, Jakotsu groaned almost painfully, biting down a bit harder on the soft flesh of his neck.

Bankotsu took that as a sign of agreement and was satisfied, closing his eyes until Jakotsu had finished with what he had been occupied with.

He knew this routine well. After Jakotsu was finished, he'd pull himself back up for one more chance to gaze into his eyes before delving into anything more physical.

Just as Bankotsu had expected, Jakotsu released his hold on his neck and lifted his head so that their eyes were level.

They gazed at each other for a long, precious moment before Bankotsu got up the strength to say what he'd been meaning to.

"I love y-" He began, but Jakotsu silenced him with a kiss, sliding his tongue across his lips, enjoying his sorely-missed taste.

He pulled back a bit again to give him his reply. "I know, and I love you as well."  
Bankotsu smiled and opened his mouth to say something else, but Jakotsu had already sat up to remove the remainder of his and his lover's clothing.

Bankotsu sat up quickly, a bit surprised by the speed at which Jakotsu was taking him further into their 'activity'.

"Jakotsu, we're not in a hurry..." He informed him, watching as he tossed the last article of clothing into the pile with the others.  
"We can take our ti-"

Jakotsu cut him off once more, slipping his tongue into his mouth and raising his hands to entwine his fingers in Bankotsu's hair.

He kissed him deeply, pushing him back down onto the bed before carefully untangling his fingers and taking another rest, his head on the side of Bankotsu's.

"Mou... It's been so long..." Jakotsu almost growled, frustrated.  
"I should never have left..."

Bankotsu nodded, remembering how lonely each of them had been only days after they'd parted to go their separate ways and into college.

"We don't ever have to be apart again..." Bankotsu sighed, a smile gracing his features.  
"Never again." Jakotsu confirmed, snuggling closer and allowing himself to smile as well.

"Never again..."

(AN. Not many vows hold true against the tests of time and terror  
but the most powerful, that can resist any negative force,  
comes in three tiny words that mean so much.

The absence of such words can bring disaster,  
but their presence is capable of bringing unfathomable peace and perfection,

even in the most unexpected places. )

(AN 2. For those who prefer light shounenai, and chose not to read this chapter. Here is a summary:

Bankotsu and Jakotsu stand alone in their rented house, having been left there by Inuyasha,  
who was dragged off in the previous chapter to attend a play.

Bankotsu greets Jakotsu but is interrupted with a swift kiss.  
Though he protests, Jakotsu persuades him to forget about unpacking and to just come with him and get "reacquainted".

In Bankotsu's room, the two look back into their past, remembering that they'd been apart for 2 years due to college and an "incident" that occurred in their high school years.

Bankotsu's thoughts give a clear reason to why he'd previously mumbled "I'm not really gay, Jakotsu's the only one who..."  
In reality, he admits that he is "really gay" and he said that due to the fact that even if Jakotsu was a woman, he'd still be in love with him.

Bankotsu is interrupted in his thoughts by Jakotsu, who's missed him so badly that he chooses not to sit in silence any longer.  
He kisses him, admitting that he wished he never had left, and Bankotsu agrees. They decide that they'll never live apart again, and the chapter ends with Bankotsu's words. "Never again."

That about sums up the storyline minus the shounenai! Go on to the next chapter! )


	5. Enter Renkotsu Or Not

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again Chapter Five: Enter... Um Nevermind. Enter and Exit Renkotsu! **

Inuyasha hurried the girls to the glass entrance doors of the theatre, and then had them line up behind the few people who had arrived as early as they had.

"It doesn't start for three hours! Why the hell were we in such a hurry!"  
Sango questioned, looking at the tiny group of people who were there.

"Well if we'd been any later that queer guy would've been there before us, and he probably would've attacked us girls..."  
Tsubaki said, crossing her arms and leaning on the wall to look up at the showings.

"Or attacked Bankotsu in front of you..." Inuyasha mumbled, not noticing Kagome's wide eyes on him.

"What do you me-"

"Damn! Look at all these showings!" Tsubaki interrupted, indicating the large sign above them.  
"Trust Kagome to pick the earliest, lamest one..." she mumbled, her eyes scanning over the more interesting titles.

"'Gravitation'... As if we hadn't seen enough queer dudes today... 'Cowboy Bebop'? What's a 'bebop'?"

Sango joined her in examining the sign, smiling at their showing "  
'Samurai Twist', an interesting mixture of today's pop culture and feudal Japan, ticket sales beginning at two pm, official tickets only available here..."

"At this rate we'll get front row seats!" Kagome announced as the line moved forward.

"Will we now?.." Tsubaki mumbled, her interest finally piqued. She pulled out her cell phone, flipping it open and choosing the #1 entry in her phonebook.  
She then walked slightly away from the others as the familiar voice of her boyfriend answered her call.

"What the hell do you want?.."

"Get your ass down here," Tsubaki told him, "We've just scored front row seats."

Renkotsu's voice floated through the earpiece, his tone told her he was both bored and irritated.  
"That can't be the only reason you called..."

Tsubaki's eyebrow raised a bit, her surprise evident as she got to the point, the reason why she'd really called.  
"Remember how you said your brother was moving back here, but you didn't know where exactly?.. Well your most reliable source knows _exactly_ where."

The line went silent as memories of his younger brother began filling Renkotsu's mind.  
After both of their parents had died, leaving most of their worldly possessions to their youngest son, Renkotsu had become much pissier than before, his need for a wealthy girlfriend risen dramatically.

"And you're sure it's him?"

Tsubaki nodded, knowing Renkotsu couldn't see the gesture.  
"I'd recognize those tattoos anywhere... It's the same guy that was in the picture from your mother's videowill."

"Well where is he?"

"I can't give you the address right now..." Tsubaki began; turning quickly to make sure Inuyasha hadn't reached the ticket booth yet.  
"But he's staying with Inuyasha and his room mate... Bankotsu I think is his name."

Renkotsu swerved into the parking lot, narrowly avoiding a collision with at least seven other cars, and parking a few spots from the one containing the car he recognized as Inuyasha's.  
"I thought they were over..." he mumbled, shutting off the engine.

Tsubaki's eyes widened momentarily before her usual scowl returned to her face.  
"You know about them then! Are they really-"

"I don't know" he said, cutting her off. "Hurry up and get the tickets, I'll be up there just as soon as you've got them in hand."

Tsubaki flipped her phone closed without bothering to say goodbye and walked back over to the group.  
"Hey dog boy, Renkotsu's coming." She informed Inuyasha, just as they finally reached the booth. By then, many people had lined up behind their group.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, changing his request to five front row seats and handing his credit card to the woman before him.  
"Thank you. Please enjoy the show." she replied, handing him the tickets and returning the card as well.

They walked over to the doors and Inuyasha turned around to hand out the tickets.  
"Since Renkotsu isn't here yet," he explained, handing Tsubaki two of them, "We'll just wait for you guys inside."

Tsubaki grinned, snatching them from him and heading back toward the parking lot.  
On the way she flipped open her cell and called Renkotsu back, hanging up after speaking one word. "Okay"

She stood on the side of the street, the sound of screeching breaks causing her head to turn toward the familiar black Mitsubishi Eclipse. Renkotsu sped up and screeched to a halt right in front of her, causing a young couple of pedestrians to jump out of the way, covering their ears with their eyes screwed shut.

"That'll teach you jackasses to hold hands in the street..." he mumbled as Tsubaki got in, waving the tickets before him.

"In two hours..." She bragged, "These'll be worth around $500 each..."

"I was thinking seafood..." He suggested. "Thanks to mother, I rather like lobster."  
"I was thinking that the Prince Shinjuku would have some nice suites available for a weeknight like this..."

(AN. The Prince Shinjuku is a typical Tokyo high-rise hotel. Shinjuku offers some of the best shopping in Tokyo, as well as nightlife.  
The rooms range anywhere from $300 to $1,000 per night, not including the daytime.)

Inuyasha skillfully chose the best seats so that the entire stage was within their view, and sat inbetween Sango and Kagome, not bothering to reserve spots for Tsubaki and Renkotsu.

"They're not coming, are they?" Kagome questioned, seeing the look on his face.  
"Doubt it," Inuyasha shrugged, pulling a zip lock bag from his pocket and opening it to reveal some of his favorite snacks.

"Gross..." Kagome furrowed her brow, watching him pop the brown chunks of who-knows-what in his mouth.  
"Humans aren't supposed to eat that stuff..."

Inuyasha shrugged again. "I'm not human."

Kagome sighed, sitting back in her seat and trying to ignore him. She couldn't help but smile as she looked around a bit. The fact that her weird, moody boyfriend had actually taken her somewhere so fancy was very shocking; she couldn't fathom how it had come to be.  
Not that she cared...

(AN. Unusual happenings are a sign that something's  
being hidden from one's view.  
But these can easily be mistaken for a simple stroke of luck.

How can one tell if they're being fooled or if their lucky stars have finally aligned?

The answer is simple: One has to remain patient, and wait for the truth to arise.)


	6. She Should Be More Careful Or Should He

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

Never Again

Chapter Six: 'She' Should Be More Careful, Especially After What Happened Back Then... Or should he?

(AN. Here I am writing shounenai with MercyMe blaring out the speakers.  
I swear, someone should punish me for living this steaming pile of irony I call a life...  
Oh well, I'm a misguided teen! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  
I'm a yaoi supporter. Love is love, that's what I believe. So here goes, chapter six!)

Bankotsu rolled over groggily, coming face to face with Jakotsu, who was wide awake.  
His head rested comfortably on his companion's left arm as he watched him finally stir from his sleep.

"Morning sexy," Jakotsu greeted him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Oh God..." Bankotsu groaned, rolling over. "I can't believe I let you talk me into doing that..." he sighed, his voice muffled by his pillow.  
"Well..." Jakotsu began, unsure how to reply. "I thought you were incredible."

"I didn't mean it like that..."  
Bankotsu pulled his arm from Jakotsu, pushing himself up so he could rest his head on his companion's chest.

"What time is it?"  
He asked, trying to sit up. But Jakotsu held onto him, calmly explaining that the play had started around thirty minutes ago.  
"Inuyasha called and told me..."

"You do know that that only leaves us with an hour and thirty minutes to get our naked asses up, right?"  
Jakotsu nodded, smiling at the reminder that sometimes his lover could be just as blunt as he was.

"Wow, you think you can actually walk this time?" He asked teasingly, letting Bankotsu up and kissing his frowning lips.

"Thanks for reminding me." Bankotsu said, rolling off of him as his frown turned back into a contented smile.  
"Guess you'll just have to unpack and set up your room by yourself."

"Yeah...Well..." Jakotsu began, sitting up. "You were asleep so I kind of told Inuyasha that the reason you couldn't come to the phone was because you were out restocking on sake..."

"Damnit Jakotsu!" Bankotsu growled, bolting out of bed.  
He hurried over to his dresser to find a change of clothes to wear to the store.

Jakotsu smiled at how quickly Bankotsu had shifted into cover-up mode, remembering just how many times he'd seen him dress himself at the speed of sound.

"Try to hurry with unpacking..."  
Bankotsu instructed, smoothing down his mussed hair and replacing the top tie.  
He then unlocked the door and ran into the kitchen, snatching his keys from the counter.

"I'll help when I get back but please get as much done as you can before then!"

Jakotsu's usual mischievous grin played upon his face as he hopped off of Bankotsu's bed and headed toward the bathroom to  
**wash his face. **

--------------------------------------------------------------

-- Scene change! --

--------------------------------------------------------------

Inuyasha suppressed yet another yawn as the actress on stage tripped again, nearly colliding with two of the actors.  
"That Fu girl is a dumbass..." He mumbled, stuffing some of his snacks into his mouth.

"Shush dogboy." Sango whispered, peering behind their row at the hundreds of people sitting behind them, staring at the stage intently.

"I should've brought the whole bag..." Inuyasha frowned at the nearly empty ziplock packet before pulling another from his pants.  
This one contained what looked like imitation bacon slices.

He pulled a piece out and began chewing noisily as yet another samurai battle began, the messy-haired samurai insulting an enemy with his notoriously dirty language.

Kagome's eyes followed every move the skilled badass main character made, and her hands returned to her mouth often to stifle another squeal of excitement as his enemies fell to the ground, synthetic blood pouring out over the stage.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, shifting in his seat and checking his watch for the thousandth time.  
He glared at the digital lit numbers and snapped his sunglasses on, resting his head on his chair.

"Wake me up when that Jin dude realizes the big nosed guy kidnapped the girl..."  
He whispered to Sango, who nodded.

--------------------------------------------------------------

-- Scene change! --

--------------------------------------------------------------

Bankotsu placed two more bottles of his second favorite type of sake into the cart, taking inventory of the types he'd already picked out and trying to remember which brands he'd neglected to add.

He looked between the two types he thought to be Inuyasha's favorites and shrugged, adding four of each to his collection.  
As he pulled his list from his pocket and added them up to check over the amount he had so far, a familiar chuckle caught his attention.

He looked up from the many bottles of sake, stacked haphazardly in his cart and grinned at seeing a fellow Banryuu College student smiling back at him.

"What's with the insidious grin Naraku, I thought your troublemaking days were over..."

Naraku's grin widened before he reached into his back pocket, extracting a small, rectangular object which almost looked like a cell phone. "Someone must be getting himself a bit of action ne?"

"Oh no," Bankotsu chuckled, smiling at the overloaded cart of sake.  
"I'm actually just restocking since Inuyasha downed the last ten bott-"

He paused at yet another little outburst of maniacal chuckling, and stood up straight to glare at Naraku.  
"Why would I be lying? You know I don't have a girlfriend Naraku!"

He frowned indignantly as Naraku finally stopped chuckling in order to explain himself.

"I know you don't have a girlfriend, and I'm well aware of the rate at which that roommate of yours consumes sake. However..."  
He flipped open the object he had, revealing a compact makeup mirror, with what looked like light purple eye shadow in the bottom compartment.

"I think you need to work on your lying skills..."

He hinted as he held the compact up to Bankotsu, who raised an eyebrow, wondering what in the seven hells Naraku was doing with makeup. Naraku began chuckling again as Bankotsu's eyes widened to the size of teacup saucers, his hand flying up to snatch the mirror from him.

His eyes narrowed as he stared disbelievingly at the many smudged lipstick marks on his neck.

"Looks like Bloody Peach #4, if I'm not mistaken. She must be a really talented vixen to get you in bed..."  
Naraku commented, showing off his makeup expertise.

"I thought you'd be more of a Blushing Mocha blend kind of guy..."  
Naraku laughed, nudging Bankotsu's side as he handed him a packaged makeup towelette.

"Thanks," Bankotsu sighed, a light blush appearing on his cheeks as he realized that his lips were now stained a very feminine red.

"Gah, you'd think 'she' would've warned me before I left!" He growled, rubbing at the stubborn marks.

Naraku agreed with a laugh. "Yeah, doesn't she know just who she's fucking with?"  
Bankotsu glared at him as Naraku waved a hand.

"No pun intended of course!"

Bankotsu resumed the infuriating task of cleaning off his neck, his eyes leaving Naraku's.

"So what's her name?" Naraku asked, genuinely curious as to who Bankotsu was with.  
"It's none of your goddamn business!" Bankotsu replied, a bit louder than he'd intended.

Naraku backed up a bit, uttering a slight apology to his agitated friend.  
Then he frowned, thinking deeper into the situation.

From what he knew, Bankotsu had never let any woman touch him like that...

He was sure that Bankotsu knew he was bisexual, as the first time they'd ever talked was when Naraku had mentioned his preference of men over women.  
If they had different tastes... That would explain why Bankotsu didn't want him to know who he was with...

Naraku frowned at Bankotsu as he realized that he was actually disappointed to find that apparently, Bankotsu wasn't gay after all...

It was a shame since, aside from Sesshoumaru, Bankotsu was the only other guy around that was hot enough for Naraku's taste.

Bankotsu, having finally removed the marks from his neck, abandoned his attempt at returning his lips to their normal color, tossing Naraku's towelette and handing him back his mirror.

"Thanks man..." he mumbled, looking at his watch to determine how much time he had before he had to leave for home. Realizing that he had time for an explanation, he looked Naraku in the eye, trying not ot fiddle with his hair as he spoke.

"'She's' one of my old friends from high school and 'she's'... Catholic... So we'd really appreciate it if you..."  
Naraku held up a hand, nodding with his usual mischievous grin as he promised to keep his mouth shut.

"I mean we really didn't do much..." Bankotsu continued, the air of honesty in his voice completely believable, "But you know how it is with parents like that..."

Naraku nodded, almost laughing. "Well if it makes you feel any better..." He pocketed the mirror and grinned even wider as he made a confession that was completely devoid of any trace amounts of shame or embarrassment.

"Sesshoumaru and I have been together for ten years, AND, neither of us have seen our parents since then because of it."

Bankotsu stared at Naraku in shock, wondering how he could admit something like that so freely.  
"Wow..." was the only reply Bankotsu had time to give before Naraku turned and walked away, waving goodbye over his shoulder.

--------------------------------------------------------------

-- Scene change! --

--------------------------------------------------------------

Bankotsu hurried into the house, unloading the bags in his arms on the kitchen table so he could sort the sake, depending on who would be drinking it, before he put it in the lower cabinets.

When half the bottles had been transferred, he decided to leave the rest on the table, hurrying to the back of the apartment, to find Jakotsu sitting on the floor of his new room, going through photos.

"Welcome home, Aisuru." Jakotsu greeted him, instantly sitting up and shoving a picture in his hands.

Bankotsu stared at him, a slight smile lighting his features. "You called me Aisuru..."  
"Yes I did, my love." Jakotsu whispered, coming up behind him and putting a finger to the photo in his hands.

"Look Aisuru..."

Bankotsu held the photo up and examined it, recognizing the younger versions of him and his prom date as they gave each other their final prom kiss.

"You were still hot even then!" Jakotsu announced, embracing him from behind.

Bankotsu frowned at the picture, the memories it brought making him feel extremely guilty.  
He imagined in his mind, the sight that the picture would've been if takenmere moments after that kiss.

The tears streaming down both of their faces as Jakotsu sat on the ground, sobbing miserably as he wiped his tears and smudged makeup on his beautiful kimono.

Bankotsu glaring down at his distressed lover, too angry with him for kissing him in public to even offer a hand to help him up after being shoved to the ground by the one man he'd ever trusted enough to express his emotions to... The only one he dared to love...

The picture made it look as if they had been a happy couple, proudly taking their first prom picture to show the world just how deeply they were in love. It did not tell the truth about the last night they'd seen each other before their two year separation, the night their secret was finally released to wreak havoc on each man's former social life.

The night that had set off the chain reaction that ended with the worst mistake they had ever made.

Bankotsu dropped the picture, ignoring the sound of the frame clattering to the ground at his feet.  
He then turned around and brought a hand up to cup Jakotsu's cheek.

"Never again." He whispered as he leaned in to plant a light kiss on Jakotsu's freshly repainted lips.

"I know, I know," Jakotsu sighed, kissing him back briefly before letting him go.  
"I won't blow our cover this time, no one'll find out..."

Bankotsu stared up into his eyes, silently begging him to keep his word.  
_'No more... Please don't let this heartless world hurt us any more.'_

Jakotsu gave him a reassuring kiss on the forehead before sitting back down to put up the pictures.  
"You really need to let yourself be happy more Bankotsu. Those days are gone and we can start over now. Isn't that what you promised me?"

Bankotsu nodded, allowing himself a small smile.  
"Yeah, our new life is set up to be perfect," He whispered, sitting down on Jakotsu's bed.  
"But we still can't let our guard down."

Jakotsu stood up from the ground and immediately sat on his lap.

"Jakotsu..."  
Bankotsu began, only to be silenced with a kiss for what had to have been the hundredth time that day.

"I'm not letting my guard down." Jakotsu grinned, pushing a box of more photographs onto the ground as he put his weight onto Bankotsu's chest.

He giggled at the mess he'd just made with his pictures and Bankotsu rolled his eyes.  
"Jakotsu we've only got like twenty minutes until Inuyasha is supposed to come back." Bankotsu warned, resisting the urge to lay back.

"Relax..." Jakotsu whispered, putting more weight on his chest as he pulled his legs farther up onto the bed.  
"I just wanna cuddle..."  
Bankotsu gave up and allowed himself to fall back onto Jakotsu's bed, wrapping his arms around him as their lips met once again.

(AN. Lies being told, the truth hidden, and precautions being taken.

If one finds such things necessary, one must work constantly to maintain their fabricated life.  
If one fails to do so, trial and suffering can often be correct predictions.

However, in some instances, nothing has to change... Just then.)


	7. The Best Piece of Filth You'll Ever Meet

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

Never Again

Chapter Seven: The Best Piece of Filth You'll Ever Meet

Inuyasha knocked on the door of the house for the fifth time, wishing he'd remembered to make a copy of Bankotsu's door key.

"Damn it, where the hell are they?.." Inuyasha mumbled, more to himself than the two girls standing behind him.

"Well he can't be anywhere else..." Kagome pointed out, turning to look at Bankotsu's car, which was parked where it always was.

"Maybe they're both asleep?" Sango suggested.

"Yeah..." Inuyasha sighed, looking down at his watch.  
"Nine fifteen, we're two hours late."

Sango sighed frustrated, at his side. "Well we wouldn't have been late if that damn Tsubaki had stayed like she was supposed to. Then she could've given Miroku a ticket since she wasn't using them!"

"Like Tsubaki would ever do something that cheritable. I'd bet you anything she sold the damn things..." Inuyasha mumbled.

Kagome smiled, disagreeing with him. "I think it helped alot! It gave us an excuse to go out to eat to make it up to Miro-chan right? It was fun, and the food was good too!"

"Yeah..." Inuyasha shrugged, his mind wandering to the deluxe T-bone dog snacks that were still waiting for him on the kitchen table.  
He pulled out yet another ziplock bag and poured the rest of his snack into his mouth.

Kagome snatched the bag from him. "This is no time to be eating dog food, dogboy!"

Sango turned quickly to her, staring in horror at the ziplock bag. "Is that what that was!"  
Kagome nodded, tossing the bag back to its owner, who caught it as if afraid it would break if he let it hit the ground.

"I thought it was just some kind of weird nickname..."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Might as well, cuz either way... We're still locked out, and my smartass room mate is probably dead sleep by now. He has classes at 5 tomorrow."

"Well then all we'd have to do is wake him up, let's just knock on the window." Kagome suggested.

"That is why I love you," Inuyasha commented, hurrying over to knock on the window of his and Bankotsu's room.

"Well damn..." He sighed once again after getting no reply.

"Do you lock the windows?" Sango asked, reaching up and pushing the window up. But the window locked itself into position after sliding only a few centimeters.

"Yeah that one...' Inuyasha answered, trying to think of what window might be unlocked.  
He grinned as he realized that he'd, for once, gotten something good out of taking Tsubaki out.

"Hey if you're gonna be emptying a room you might not want to leave the window open..."

He hurried over to the window of his old room and sure enough,  
it was halfway open. He reached up and carefully slid it the rest of the way open, hoping his new roommate wasn't trying to sleep.

He glared for a few moments, perplexed, at the small opening before remembering his two companions.

"Hey Kagome," he whispered, turning to her. Kagome nodded before he even asked the question and he lifted her up to the window, whispering for her to be careful and quiet, just in case.

Kagome crawled easily through the small window and stood in the dark room.  
She took a step forward, nearly tripping on the many photos scattered on the ground, and hadn't even taken another step before the unmistakeable sound of hissing met her ears.  
She looked down at the ground, thankful for the streetlamp outide, which slightly illuminated the room, as her eyes fell on a very large snake. It lie still on the carpet, coiled up, and glaring at her.

Keeping her eyes fixed on the snake, Kagome put a hand on the bed to hold herself steady and tried to kick some of the photos from her path, slowly making her way toward the door until her hand brushed against something sharp and metal, causing her to yank her hand from the bed and turn to see what'd cut her.

Her eyes widened and she clapped a hand to her mouth to try to hold in a gasp.

She lowered her hands slowly as the slight charm of the sight before her presented itself. Bankotsu lie on his side, curled up against Jakotsu's chest, his arms wrapped tightly around his new room mate as if trying to keep him from rolling backward off the side of the bed.

Kagome examined the pin in Jakotsu's hair, recognizing it as the thing which had earlier cut her hand. She admired the 'sleeping baby faces' of the two men, before her eyes traveled downward, causing her hands to return to her mouth as another gasp threatened to escape.

She raised an eyebrow at their rather intimately entwined legs before backing up a bit as she was reminded of why she was there by a loud knock on the front door.

She ducked down as the two on the bed stirred a bit, but thankfully did not wake. The smile returned to her face as Bankotsu cuddled a bit closer to his companion, almost resembling a child snuggling up to his parent.

She tore her eyes from the strange yet adorable sight, and headed silently for the door farthest from the snake on the ground, which was still keeping a close eye on her. Turning the knob slowly, she found it to be locked but thought nothing of it, pushing the button to unlock it and sliding into the hallway.

Kagome crept from the room and had hurried all the way over to the kitchen before realizing why the door to the room might've been locked...

Maybe Bankotsu and Jakotsu hadn't wanted anyone to see them like that...

She looked around, trying to find a way to wake them up without anyone suspecting that she'd done it on purpose.

Her eyes fell on the kitchen table, where many bottles of sake were arranged, some of them noticeably closer to the edge than others. She quickly swiped three of them off of the table, plugging her ears as they shattered against the refrigerator, the broken glass clattering loudly to the ground.

She uncovered her ears just in time to hear the thump of someone in the back of the house, presumably Jakotsu, falling to the ground.

Her task completed, she hurried over to the front door and unlocked it, allowing Inuyasha and Sango to finally step into the house.

"Oh, damn it!" Inuyasha whined as his eyes fell on the remains of the sake scattered all across the kitchen floor.  
"Can you not do anything without destroying everything you touch along the way!"

"Well excuse me for tripping in your dark house!" Kagome replied, indignantly as she crossed her arms across her chest.  
"Like you need that much sake anyway..." she mumbled, attempting to count the many bottles on the table.

"Oh damn it!"

Everyone turned toward Bankotsu, who'd just walked out from the hallway and stepped on a piece of glass from the shattered bottles.

He sat on the carpet to examine his foot and Kagome marveled at how quickly he had gone from lying asleep in the bed, wearing nothing but boxers, to wide awake and fully dressed.

She stared at him; her suspicions being confirmed as her eyes fell on his lips, which were stained redder than usual. She even noticed the pinkish tint on the sides of his lips, remembering how Miroku usually looked when he dropped Sango off after a 'friendly' trip to the movies.

She almost giggled when she turned around and realized that Inuyasha was too busy worrying about his wasted sake to even notice Bankotsu.

"Hey Bankotsu!" Sango greeted him as she walked over to where he was sitting.  
"Inuyasha said we could come back here and meet that friend of yours..."

Bankotsu flicked the piece of glass he'd pulled from his foot into the kitchen wastebasket, standing back up.  
"Sorry." He shrugged. "He went to bed twenty minutes ago."

"Awe." Sango frowned slightly, turning back toward Kagome. "Guess we should just go then." She suggested.

Kagome took a glance at Bankotsu, surprised at how easily he was able to fool Sango, one of the most perceptive people she knew. "Yeah okay." She nodded in agreement and they walked out of the house, Inuyasha finally snapping out of it and following them.

He bid farewell to Kagome with an affectionate hug and headed back inside.

After closing and locking the front door, Inuyasha turned around to see two black-headed men standing near the kitchen table.  
The taller one peered nervously out over the shorter one's shoulders before standing straight up.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at this strange behavior and Bankotsu stepped forward, coaxing his new roommate out of hiding before explaining that Jakotsu, who was in his bedtime apparel, didn't like for women to see him in any state of undress.

"Perverted filth..." Jakotsu mumbled, glaring at the door as Bankotsu bowed apologetically to Inuyasha.

"Well, this is my older best friend Jakotsu, Inuyasha." Bankotsu said, happy to see that Inuyasha hadn't heard what he'd mumbled about his girlfriend. "And Jakotsu, this is my newer best friend, Inuyasha."

"Nice to meet you." Jakotsu greeted him, extending a hand toward his new room mate.

"Yeah..." Inuyasha shook it a bit awkwardly before heading to the back of the house to take a shower.

(AN. When one meets someone new, despite what they may have already heard about them from others,  
one is left to judge the new acquaintance for themself.

First impressions, whether good or bad, are unimportant.  
What is important is the amount of effort one puts toward better understanding and bonding with such an acquaintance.

If one is dedicated with true intentions, a strong relationship can be established, however fate may have other things in store.)

(2nd AN. Yesh, another ending AN. I feel I owed it to you guys... My loyal precious babies, to post just one last chapter before I start out on the long, widing road to restoring Never Again.  
Sorry about leaving you at such a suspenseful point...  
As you probably all know, chapters 9-15 have been deleted from my hardrive due to a virus. I'll be offline trying to restore the fic for a while. We're talking about a month tops, I won't keep you a second longer than I need to.

You can use the author alert options to keep up with me, it's accesible in the same box you use to submit reviews and is very handy. If I post on either of the stories which are ongoing, you will receive an email letting you know!

So here's my final, formal farewell. :Takes a bow:

Ja matta ne! I love you all!

Kagura-hime )


	8. The Beginning of Inuyasha's Suspicion

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

* * *

Never Again

Chapter Eight:  
A Spa, Homophobia, and A Wet Rubber Duck. In Other Words, The Beginning of Inuyasha's Suspicion

Bankotsu rolled over groggily, sitting up in a bed that was becoming quite familiar to him; Jakotsu's.  
He shoved the alarm clock from the nightstand, effectively shutting it up, before lying back down, partially atop his companion.

Jakotsu stirred, remaining still and reveling in the comfort of his lover lying on his back. Bankotsu pulled himself up, nuzzling his face into Jakotsu's silky hair and pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.

"Why're we up?" Jakotsu asked, leaning into his touch.  
Bankotsu pushed himself onto his palms and knees as the man beneath him rolled over to face him, then he lie back down, continuing to nuzzle his neck.

"It is Inuyasha, right?" Jakotsu persisted.

Bankotsu nodded. "He'll be back in an hour, so I have to get up and get in his bed..."  
"Oh?" Jakotsu chuckled. "Do you have an 'appointment' with him as well?"

Bankotsu kissed his neck, wrapping his arms around his upper torso.  
"Sorry Jakotsu, but unlike you, I don't sleep with other men."

Jakotsu nodded understandingly until he realized that he had no idea what Bankotsu was talking about.  
"You're not calling me filth, are you?" He asked, perplexed and slightly hurt.

Bankotsu laughed, sitting up with his hands resting on Jakotsu's chest.  
"I was just kidding." He explained, smiling at Jakotsu's retort of "It's too early for this.."

"I say Inuyasha's bed because I know that when he gets home he'll be delirious, exhausted, and/or drunk so he'll prolly pass out on my bed like he always does."

"I'm gonna sleep on your bed!" Jakotsu announced, urging his lover to let him up. "How much time do we have?"

"Whatever you want..." Bankotsu mumbled, yawning as he looked around, the digital numbers on the clock seeming to mock him. "It's six thirty, and where the hell did you put my boxers?"

Jakotsu shrugged, sitting up as well. "I threw them somewhere..."

"Well that was a good idea." Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "Seeing as Jakotsutou is running amuck in here..."

He leaned over the side of the bed to peer through the dimly lit room at Jakotsutou's napping corner, and

sure enough, the nearly ten foot long Burmese python was napping soundly on a pile of discarded clothes, said boxers wrapped tightly around it's middle section.

"Ah well you learn something new everyday." Jakotsu shrugged as he leaned over to look at where Bankotsu was glaring. "Jakotsutou wants to be sexy too..."

"Fifty pounds of undergarment-snatching fiend, that's what that is." Bankotsu stated, proud of himself for coming up with such a fitting title.

"No," Jakotsu shook his head. "Forty-five pounds and Nine and a half feet of cuddly-sweet love!"

"I'm way too tired for this..." Bankotsu mumbled, lowering himself carefully from his companion's lap, taking his pillow and heading for his own room.

Jakotsu rolled out of bed in his usual fashion, giggling at the fact that he still had his boxers intact before crawling after Bankotsu. He slipped under the covers on his lover's bed, getting comfortable in mere seconds.

Bankotsu, who had already replaced his pilfered boxers, blew his companion a kiss before lying down on Inuyasha's bed, eager to see just how his room mate would react to their odd choice of sleeping arrangements.

Four and a half hours later, he received a very unpleasant wakeup call, in the form of a loud scream.  
Bankotsu returned to consciousness to find a very shaken Inuyasha huddled up at the foot of his bed.

He sat up, glancing over at Jakotsu, who was sitting, wide awake on Bankotsu's bed. He was facing Inuyasha, an amused look on his pale face.

"What'd you do to him?" Bankotsu sighed, crawling over to wave a hand infront of Inuyasha's terrified eyes.  
"Nothing." Jakotsu shrugged. "I just said good morning and told him what a cute sleeping baby face he has."

"Oh," he added, "I also tried to give him a good morning kiss..."

Bankotsu laughed lightly, shaking Inuyasha out of his frozen state of shock.  
"I forgot to tell you... My room mate is homophobic."

"I noticed. And it's a damn shame..." Jakotsu sighed, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and walking over to Bankotsu. "Besides you, I've never woken up next to anyone that hot..."

A tiny pulse of worry ran through Bankotsu at that statement, but it didn't seem as though Inuyasha had even heard Jakotsu's words. He snapped out of it and hopped down from his bed, hurrying out of the room.

Bankotsu chuckled, shifting slightly as Jakotsu sat on his lap. "I think he's scarred for life..."

Jakotsu scoffed in reply before wrapping his arms around his love's neck.  
"It's a shame he moved so fast. I was this close to getting a taste of those delectable looking lips of his..."

"Awww..." Bankotsu pouted in mock sympathy, nuzzling him fondly.

"But I doubt if he would have tasted anywhere near as good as you do..."

Bankotsu smiled, his cheeks coloring slightly as Jakotsu pulled him into a deep kiss.

Inuyasha sat on the couch with a huff, rummaging through a bag of dog treats as he flipped on the television.  
He heard his roommates enter the room but chose to overlook their presence as he picked up the phone, dialing the only number he'd ever bothered to memorize.

"Oh so you're home!" Inuyasha gasped at the sound of Tsubaki's tired whisper on the other line.  
"No shit." she replied, rolling her eyes. "You want to talk to your bitch?"

"Nah, that's fine. I just wanted to know if we were still on for today..."

"Oh, yeah we're still on. Sango's gotta call Miroku and ask him though, since he's the manager of the place..."

Inuyasha stifled a yawn. "No hurry," he mumbled.  
"Oh I won't." Tsubaki scoffed, covering the mouth piece and giving Renkotsu a sharp slap before he even began to question her.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow as the line went silent. "I'll see you then I guess," he mumbled, unsure if she could even hear him. "Yeah whatever." Tsubaki replied, hanging up and turning to her suspicious boyfriend with an annoyed sigh.

"Get up. We're going to the spa." She announced, removing his wallet from his discarded pants before tossing them back to him. Renkotsu caught them but did not put them on. "Why the hell would I want to go to a spa!"

"You won't" She stated. "First you'll go back to your place, get your swimming trunks, then meet me at the spa, massage anywhere I don't want those clumsy masseuses touching, and then you might have time to go swimming with the other guys. And you'll do it all whether you want to or not."

Renkotsu rolled his eyes, pulling his pants on as his now fully dressed girlfriend left the room.

"Good morning Tsu-Chan!" Kagome greeted her as they passed each other in the hallway and Tsubaki instinctively clasped her hands over her ears as Kagome pushed Sango's bedroom door open"

"Oh my god, we're going to a spa!"  
Jakotsu threw his hands up in excitement, causing Inuyasha to back away as cheerios rained down onto their heads.

The now empty cereal bowl clattered to the ground and Bankotsu chuckled at his disgruntled room mate as he poured a bowl of cereal, which was promptly snatched by Jakotsu.

"If you'd let me finish without pelting me with 'Queerios', I would have said that we, as MEN, are going to the other side of the gym to work out and swim."

At hearing this, Jakotsu's face fell into a pout. But Bankotsu's eyes met his wide, watery ones, and he assured him that they'd have plenty of time to drop by the spa after they'd finished their workout.

Inuyasha took another quick step back, but this time Jakotsu's arms remained safely at his sides. He simply gazed peacefully across the table, giving Bankotsu a look that Inuyasha couldn't quite read.

He soon abandoned his futile attempt to understand his new room mate, choosing instead to return to the safety of his room to get dressed.

Bankotsu joined him soon afterward, his lips stained much redder than they had been during breakfast.  
He looked around for Inuyasha until a familiar thump met his ears. He turned to the bathroom door, which slid open, admitting Inuyasha, who had a towel wrapped tightly around his waist, and a slight limp from falling out of the bath tub yet again.

Inuyasha grumpily announced that the bathroom was all his before pelting his sniggering roommate with the rubber duck he'd slipped on. Bankotsu ignored the duck as it bounced off of his forehead, hurrying into the bathroom and closing the door lightly behind himself.

"So what's the occasion of this little trip?" Bankotsu called over the noise of the rapidly filling bathtub.

"Alot of things I guess." Inuyasha answered, putting on his swimming trunks. "Kagome wanted to do something to welcome your friend, Sango needed an excuse to get with Miroku at his new job, and Tsubaki... Has her own selfish reasons I'm sure."

Bankotsu sat back in the steaming hot water, absently toying with the many bubbles and rubber ducks that were floating around him. "You know, they're harder to slip on when they're floating..." He hinted, giving one of them a playful squeeze.

Inuyasha scoffed, pulling his shirt on before replying. "Bathing with bubbles is odd, but with toys as well, it's just plain g-"

He held in the final word of that sentence as his new room mate walked right into his bedroom through the door Bankotsu had left open.

"Oo-Aniki, have you seen..." Jakotsu fell silent as he realized that Bankotsu was not in the room.  
He looked around, perplexed, before Inuyasha decided to fill him in. "He's taking a bath so you'll have to come back later. And next time, do me a favor and kn-"

Jakotsu waved him off, hurrying into the bathroom to finish his question. "-Jakotsutou?"

Bankotsu nodded his head, not taking his eyes off of the duck he was currently playing with.

"Well could you put him up for me when you get out?" Jakotsu asked, silently admiring his lover's smooth legs and wishing there weren't quite so many bubbles in the water. "I have to find a swimsuit that won't burn Dogboy's retina's..."

Bankotsu nodded with a smile, releasing the duck.

After putting forth a great amount of effort into restraining himself, Jakotsu leaned over the side of the tub, locking lips with his hot, wet lover. Bankotsu broke the kiss after a short time, his cheeks coloring slightly as Jakotsu expertly ran his tongue over his lips, successfully removing the lipstick that'd rubbed onto them.

He then stood up straight, strolling off through the door that linked the bathroom to his own room.

Bankotsu emerged from the bathroom and immediately began getting dressed before he bothered with his hair, which he knew would be ruined by the chlorine in the gym pool. Bankotsu raised an eyebrow at Inuyasha, who was distractedly pulling at his collar to try to remove it. He finished his hair quickly, then walked off into the kitchen to find Jakotsutou.

Inuyasha continued to fight with the collar until it shocked him, causing him to pull his hands away with a frustrated growl.

Why had Kagome's Grandfather insist on putting this dumb thing on him anyway? It wasn't as if he was ill-mannered... Calling him Dogboy was one thing, but putting a shocker collar on him was just insulting...  
He glared down at what little part of the collar he could see until a light splashing sound caught his attention. He rolled his eyes as he realized that Bankotsu had, yet again, forgotten to drain his bath water.

Another splash issued from the bathroom and Inuyasha concluded that Jakotsu's missing snake was obviously in the bathroom. He wondered aloud about whether or not pythons could swim as he pushed the door open. He took a step back, immediately shielding his eyes as they met not Jakotsutou, but Jakotsu, lying comfortably in Bankotsu's bathwater.

"What the fuck are you doing in here!" Inuyasha asked, lowering his hands as he realized that most of Jakotsu's body was safely concealed beneath the bubbly surface of the water.

"Um... Bathing?" Jakotsu replied, dunking his head underwater to rinse his hair out.

Inuyasha waited for him to reemerge before specifying his query. "Why are you bathing in Bankotsu's bath water?"

"Oh." Jakotsu shrugged. He thought about it for a minute before replying with a question of his own.  
"Well how else am I ever going to start tasting as good as sweet Ban-chan?"  
He pulled a duck from the water and ran his tongue slowly across its underbelly, grinning in satisfaction at the look of pure disgust on his room mates face.

Inuyasha remained silent, his eye twitching slightly as he began walking slowly backwards. He slid the door closed and locked it, but continued to stare forward, the haunting image having been burned into his retinas.  
He snapped himself out of it after a few moments, then turned and pulled himself up onto Bankotsu's bed where he sat still and silent, the occasional splashing sounds keeping his mind from focusing on anything but his new room mate.

Bankotsu himself seemed so sure of himself around Jakotsu, completely convinced that he was harmless.  
But over the two weeks he'd been living with him, Inuyasha hadn't once been able to tell between times when Jakotsu meant what he said and times when he did not. His actions were just as confusing, if not more, and Inuyasha found himself unable to tell if he was truly playfully teasing or... Doing something much less innocent.

Bankotsu returned to his bedroom with Jakotsutou draped across his shoulders, it's upper half wrapped securely around his neck. He sat on Inuyasha's bed, stroking his lover's faithful companion for a moment before he looked up and noticed the strange look on his best friend's face.

He sat still, gazing worriedly at him before questioning. "You okay?"

Inuyasha turned to look at him, wondering if he should tell him about what Jakotsu had just said and done.  
Chances were, Jakotsu was just kidding with him, even if he didn't find the joke to be funny.  
Bankotsu would probably just call him a homophobe and laugh along with the joke...

Inuyasha nodded, insisting that he was just thinking about something unimportant, and left the room to give Kagome another call.

* * *

(AN. There may come a time when one begins to doubt people they thought they could trust.  
Such doubt may be unnecessary, or may turn out to be exactly what was needed.

Will one choose to act upon one's suspicions? And would it change anything either way?

These questions must be asked, and once one has chosen their course of action, it is left in the hands of fate.

But fate can be very unkind. )


	9. Jakotsutou

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again **

**Chapter Nine: Jakotsutou**

Bankotsu stepped into his bedroom, carelessly tossing his book bag onto his bed, awakening his roommate with a start.

"Didn't hear you come in…" Inuyasha mumbled, burying his head in Bankotsu's pillow to try to avoid the sunlight that had been pouring in through the window for hours.

"You never do," Bankotsu sighed, plopping down on the bed next to him and rolling over so that he lay partially atop his roommate, with his head resting on his back.

He absently toyed with a few strands of Inuyasha's long, silvery hair as he began whispering a warning to him.

"You know... Jakotsu could just walk in and see us like this…"  
Bankotsu hinted, shifting slightly so that his left leg rested comfortably on Inuyasha's.

He laughed as Inuyasha suddenly rolled off of the bed, crawling swiftly and silently across the floor as if he'd be attacked if he didn't stay low and quiet.

"Oh damn it!' Inuyasha cursed, snapping out of his defensive mode as he realized that Bankotsu had tricked him, yet again. "Using that queer shit is cheating!" Inuyasha whined as Bankotsu sprawled out on his comfortable bed.

"Just be glad you weren't too hung over to freak out like that... I was about to call Jakotsu in here..." Bankotsu mumbled, smiling into his pillow.

"Noooo..." Inuyasha whispered, shrinking back to hide behind the door as the image of Jakotsu licking his wet rubber duck returned to his mind.

Bankotsu turned his head, fighting the urge to laugh at just how ridiculous Inuyasha behaved when it came to Jakotsu.

He rolled his eyes, trying to give him a bit of reassurance.  
"You know he doesn't hit on straight guys, Inuyasha. You're perfectly safe."  
He pointed out for the ten thousandth time.

"But he hits on you! I've seen that evil grin of his and that laugh! And yesterday, at the spa..."

"That's different..."

"No it's not! You're his room mate just like I am..."

"True..." Bankotsu began, going through all of the different excuses he'd practiced with Jakotsu and choosing the most believable one for this situation.

"But he knows me well enough to see that I only take it as a joke."

Inuyasha fell silent, considering his explanation.  
"That makes sense I guess... But if I hadn't turned around yesterday, he would've-"  
"I thought we agreed not to mention that..."

"But he-"

"I think we all had a little too much sake yesterday. You weren't too well-behaved yourself..."  
"Yeah, but Kagome's my girlfriend, and she wasn't pinned to the wall when I kissed her."

"First of all; we all know he wasn't thinking straight, and sec-"

"Well that's obvious." Inuyasha mumbled, "When's the last time that _man_ thought _straight_?"

Bankotsu glared silently at Inuyasha, who put his hands up in apology. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"And secondly, it didn't hurt anyone, not even myself." He finished with a confident nod.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean to say that it didn't freak you out?"  
Bankotsu shrugged. "Well it was a bit of a shock, but he is my best friend and he certainly didn't mean any harm. I mean, lipstick isn't exactly difficult to wash off..."

"Not the lipstick! I meant the... emotional trauma... of being kissed by another guy!"

Bankotsu rolled his eyes before standing up and walking over to him, leaning close as he whispered his reply.  
"Well there's emotional trauma..." he turned slightly and planted a quick kiss on his room mate's cheek before taking a step back and finishing his sentence. "And then there's the harmless shock of your best friend doing something completely new and unexpected."

Inuyasha's mouth opened and closed without a sound, his eyes returning to their normal size as he managed to nod in agreement.

"So quit worrying about it." Bankotsu sighed.

"Well... What about Jakotsutou?!" Inuyasha asked, hopping onto his bed as he found his voice again.  
"He leaves that monstrous thing in any random place! One day I'm gonna step on it and get my foot mutilated!"

Bankotsu sighed heavily, not even bothering to answer Inuyasha's question as he walked out into the hallway, resisting the urge to visit Jakotsu in his room and instead heading for the kitchen.

That had been just about the thousandth time Inuyasha had informed him of new problems that had arisen due to the addition of their newest roommate and Bankotsu was beginning to get frustrated by it.  
He hated the fact that after all of the hard work he'd put forth in order to get Jakotsu to come live with him, he wasn't getting along with his roommate.

Bankotsu went through the various snacks Jakotsu kept in the cabinets, selected a box of low fat Trail Mix bars, and sat on the couch, flipping on the T.V.

He raised an eyebrow at the familiar hissing sound before rolling over, spotting the tail of Jakotsutou sticking out from beneath the couch.

"Damn it..." Bankotsu mumbled as he got down on his hands and knees in front of the couch.  
"Sweetie, come out of there before you get squashed again!" he called, mimicking the kissing sounds Jakotsu usually used to get Jakotsutou's attention.

Jakotsutou poked his head from beneath the decorative folds of fabric, blinking curiously as he recognized Bankotsu's scent.

"Come here..." Bankotsu offered a hand to Jakotsutou, trying not to grow nervous as it began slithering toward him. He lifted the heavy Burmese python from the ground, allowing it to slither up, and around his neck as Jakotsu had taught it.

"Nine and a half feet of cuddly love my ass..." Bankotsu mumbled, lying back down on the couch and unwrapping a TrailMix bar.

* * *

Jakotsu tiptoed into the living room, suppressing the giggles that threatened to escape as his eyes fell on Bankotsu, napping on the couch with Jakotsutou stretched across his front, its upper half wrapped around his neck, with its head resting on his chest. While its lower half rested right between his legs, its tail wrapped around his right thigh.

"Awe... My babies are so cute!" He squealed, immediately attracting Jakotsutou's attention. His head swiveled slightly as it rose from Bankotsu's chest and he blinked slowly at Jakotsu, his tongue darting in and out of his mouth for a few seconds as he caught the scent of his owner.

"Hello my baby..." Jakotsu cooed, planting a few kisses on Jakotsutou's head, blood-red lipstick marks shining against his black scales.

Inuyasha sneaked around the side of the couch, a camera clutched inconspicuously in his left hand to watch Jakotsu, almost curiously.

He watched as Jakotsutou's tongue flicked out of its mouth, brushing lightly against its owner's lips.

Jakotsu turned to Inuyasha, a finger pressed to his lips in a 'be quiet' sign.  
He then turned back to Jakotsutou and nuzzled it nose to nose.

"I love you, love you, love you!" Jakotsu sang, kissing the snake each time he said the word "love". He continued singing as he slid his hand down Bankotsu's torso.

He rested it gently on his right thigh before sliding it between his legs, trying to pry Jakotsutou's tail from its resting place.

Inuyasha held the camera up just as Bankotsu's eyes blinked open, the full impact of what was going on taking a few seconds to register in his drowsy mind.

He heard Inuyasha's camera click, immediately followed by a flash of light and rolled over, the feel of Jakotsu's hand between his legs telling him exactly what Inuyasha had just taken a picture of.

Bankotsu's eyes met Jakotsu's and he bolted upright, shoving him away from himself.  
Relief flooded through him as he felt Jakotsu's hand leave his legs, being crushed immediately as he recognized what remained there.

"Ah, damn it!" Bankotsu hissed as Jakotsutou's tail suddenly tightened around his snake had almost been thrown from the couch, and had instinctively clung to the nearest thing.  
"You'll scare him!" Jakotsu warned, catching Bankotsu's hands before they even reached the agitated snake's tail.

Bankotsu took in a sharp breath, glaring at Jakotsu as Inuyasha moved to the other side of the couch, snapping another photo.

"I knew that thing was dangerous..." Inuyasha whispered, zooming in on Bankotsu's lap before Jakotsu reached up and snatched the camera from him.

"Flash this thing in my baby's eyes one more time and you will regret it!"  
He tossed Inuyasha's camera to the ground before turning back to Bankotsu, his fingers lightly stroking Jakotsutou's head.

"Calm down sweetie, Daddy's here..."  
Jakotsu planted another kiss on its head as he pulled Jakotsutou from around Bankotsu's neck, ensuring that it couldn't tighten its grip there.

Bankotsu let out the breath he'd been holding, helping Jakotsu to lower the heavy snake gently onto his lap.

Once Jakotsutou was on a more stable surface, it loosened its grip on Bankotsu and lie down, calmly enjoying his body heat.

"There." Jakotsu grinned victoriously, patting Bankotsu on the head.  
"Jakotsutou loves you, and he doesn't wanna hurt you..."

"Well you might want to let him know that cutting off the circulation in someone's legs is not a very loving way to treat them..." Bankotsu retaliated, making sure that Jakotsu knew that he was displeased.

"Ah, the calm after the storm." Inuyasha commented, lifting his camera to take another picture.

Bankotsu sighed heavily before offering Inuyasha a slight smile.  
"No more pictures!" Jakotsu interrupted, running over and covering the lens.

"Stop being such a bitch..." Inuyasha pulled the camera from him and took a step to the side so that he could get a good shot of Jakotsutou's face.

Jakotsu followed him, standing beside Inuyasha and Bankotsu recognized the sly grin that spread across his face.

He turned worriedly to Inuyasha, who was about to take another picture.

"Smile Jakotsutou..." He coaxed, snapping the picture.  
Just as the flash went off, Jakotsu took a step back, letting out a loud, snake-like hiss and backing further from Inuyasha.

Inuyasha scoffed, barely turning his head to question him.  
"What the hell is your prob-"

He pulled his head back just in time as Jakotsutou lunged for his face, its fangs snapping the eyepiece of the camera and its heavy body knocking him off balance.

Inuyasha fell hard to the ground as Jakotsutou made another lunge, this time its teeth caught his hand, leaving many deep cuts as he pulled back before it got a chance to lock its jaw.

He fell back, almost in slow motion, and his eyes grew wide in terror as he got a chance to glance at his hands.  
Both were badly cut, blood beginning to pour from his wound.

Reality returned suddenly, Inuyasha's head hitting the ground hard as Jakotsutou made one final lunge.

(AN. Sometimes in life, the things you've worked intensely hard for are taken from you. Plans you've been making for years are unraveled before your eyes, and friends whom you cherish slip right through your fingers, never to return.

Giving up on things you'd believed in, wanted over anything else, can be difficult.

We all know that in order to receive, one must be prepared to make a sacrifice.  
But unfortunately, we don't always get to choose what we give up.)


	10. Snake Bites and Realizations

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again **

Jakotsu intervened, snatching Inuyasha's damaged camera and holding it out just in front of his face.  
Jakotsutou clamped its fangs down on the camera and Jakotsu was able to pull him away from Inuyasha, who took his opportunity to get up.

He pushed himself from the ground and ran to his bedroom, closing the door securely.

Jakotsutou did not attempt to pursue him, choosing instead to release the camera and return to his hiding place beneath the couch.

Bankotsu, having sat up to watch Jakotsutou's assault on Inuyasha's camera, stared at Jakotsu with wide eyes.  
"I can't believe you did that!" He whispered angrily, keeping his voice low so that Inuyasha couldn't hear.

"Did what?" Jakotsu asked, sitting down and grinning innocently at him.

"Don't fuck with me Jakotsu." Bankotsu warned.  
"I'm not. I just don't know what you're getting at..." Jakotsu continued to play his innocent bystander game, but a mischievous glint shone in his eyes.

"I'm getting at the fact that I saw you sic Jakotsutou on Inuyasha!" Bankotsu replied, glaring at him.  
"And he distrusted you so much as it was!"

"He doesn't know that," Jakotsu shrugged. "Besides, maybe he'll learn a little something about listening to me..."  
That said, Jakotsu stood from the couch, giving Bankotsu a quick kiss before heading back to his bedroom.

Bankotsu sat there considering, but the second he heard Jakotsu's door close, he got off the couch, sitting on the ground instead.

He went over the events in his head, trying to remember the exact sound Jakotsu had made that had caused Jakotsutou's sudden attack. He swore it was the same sound Jakotsutou had made after being sat on earlier that morning...

He leaned in closer to the decorative folds which concealed the ground beneath the couch and quietly imitated the sound.

Sure enough, Jakotsutou slithered hurriedly from under the couch, looking around in a panic. It did not attack Bankotsu, but once its eyes met his, it calmed considerably, before slithering off toward the back of the house.

Bankotsu sat there, slightly disappointed in Jakotsu for doing such a thing.  
Apparently, that noise was one that a snake would only make if it were in pain. So naturally, Jakotsutou would not react well if it heard the man who raised it make such a noise.

He had purposely coaxed Jakotsutou into an attack...

Bankotsu had talked to Jakotsu about Inuyasha many times and he had agreed to be kind to him for Bankotsu's sake.  
At first Jakotsu had been happy to live with Inuyasha; he liked his attitude for the most part, and his intriguing love of photography.  
The fact that he was easy on the eyes probably did a world of good as well...

However, Bankotsu had recently noticed that Jakotsu's attitude toward him changed when Inuyasha was around.  
He was less patient, quicker to start arguments, and more likely to leave the room than to stay in his company.

Truthfully, Bankotsu was beginning to wonder if they'd be able to live together much longer.

He stood and walked to the back of the house, stopping at the sight of Jakotsutou, resting curled up in front of Jakotsu's bedroom door. Bankotsu thought it over for a short time before deciding to go talk things over with him.

He opened the door slowly, allowing Jakotsutou to slither into the room before following him, glancing around for any sign of Jakotsu.

"I'm in the tub!" Jakotsu called from the bathroom.  
Bankotsu frowned at the bathroom door before walking over and opening it.

A smile spread quickly across his face as Jakotsu sat up, pleased to see that he had been correct in thinking that Inuyasha couldn't possibly have been the one to just walk into his room like that.

"Hello lover..." He greeted, sitting up with his many black and yellow rubber ducks floating around in the water around him. "You lonely?" He asked, scooting over to make room. "Feeling dirty, maybe?"

Bankotsu frowned slightly, putting down the toilette lid and sitting, facing him.  
"You know why we can't do that..."

"For another day." Jakotsu sighed, resting his arms and head on the side of the bathtub.  
"Is there anything in particular you'd like to do on a day more like this one?"

"Not that I could do right now," Bankotsu replied, taking a glance at the opposite door which led to his and Inuyasha's room.

Jakotsu turned to look at it as well, catching his drift. At hearing a light gasp, he turned back to Bankotsu, who was staring in surprise down at the ground.

Jakotsu peered over the side of the bathtub, letting out a small chuckle as his eyes fell on Jakotsutou, who was attempting to swallow a rubber duck.

"Shouldn't we stop him?" Bankotsu asked, raising an eyebrow uncertainly at Jakotsu.

"Nah..." Jakotsu shook his head, continuing to watch Jakotsutou in slight amusement. "He's not dumb enough to eat plastic... Snakes can tell what's prey and what's not..."

Bankotsu turned to Jakotsutou, and sure enough, he released the duck and began looking around for anything edible.

"Daddy will make dinner soon..." Jakotsu assured the hungry python, lowering his arms from the side of the tub so that Jakotsutou could slither up them.

"Come here." Jakotsu called, making his infamous kissing noises.

Jakotsutou slithered forward and up his arms, before being lifted by Jakotsu and lowered into the warm bathwater.  
Bankotsu raised an eyebrow at this. Humidifiers and large water bowls were one thing, but bathing with a snake?

He stood up, shaking his head softly. "Only Jakotsu..."  
Finding himself unable to confront Jakotsu just then, Bankotsu bid him farewell, and turned to leave.

Jakotsu grinned up at him, blowing him a farewell kiss as he draped Jakotsutou safely around his neck and began giving him a thorough rinsing.

Bankotsu closed the door behind himself, returning to his own room, where he found Inuyasha, sitting silently on his bed.

He held what remained of his camera up for his roommate to see.  
Bankotsu sighed heavily, bowing apologetically before sitting next to him on his bed.

He took Inuyasha's right hand in his own, examining the many tooth marks which ran almost from his wrist to the tips of his fingers. He winced as he ran a finger over the cuts, their depth startling him slightly.

The amount of blood smudged on both of his hands was surprisingly high, considering the fact that Inuyasha didn't look as if he were in pain and was not making any attempt to bandage the wounds.

His eyes fell on the camera, which had been bitten almost in half, the eyepiece having broken off.  
Drying blood was smudged on it as well.

"I'm sorry about him, Inuyasha." Bankotsu began, unsure how else to approach the situation.

"You mean Jakotsutou?" Inuyasha asked, smiling as he pulled his hand back.  
"Don't worry about it. That snake hates me so much it was bound to show its true colors sooner or later..."

Bankotsu opened his mouth to reply but Inuyasha cut him off.

"Besides, I got an awesome shot of it right before it bit the camera!"  
He announced, sounding genuinely excited. "And I got out my other camera and took a few shots of my hands."

"The before and after affect huh?" Bankotsu questioned, having heard Inuyasha mention that many times before.  
Inuyasha had always had such a strange love of photography...

Inuyasha nodded and stood to put his camera somewhere safe. "Cant wait to get the bloody ones developed!"  
Bankotsu looked down at his hands, which had slight traces of blood on them.

Despite Inuyasha's excitement, he felt even guiltier than before.

Inuyasha had no idea that Jakotsu had told the snake to attack him... He supposed he should just thank kami for his luck and shrugged it off as he walked into the bathroom and rinsed his hands off in the sink.

"So he bled... Good for him."

Bankotsu turned around, having forgotten that Jakotsu was taking a bath.

Jakotsu skillfully finished shaving his leg and alternated to the next, not even slightly embarrassed by the fact that Bankotsu was watching him.

Bankotsu walked up to Jakotsu, sitting so that their eyes were level.  
He sighed heavily, waiting patiently as Jakotsu finished and put his razor up, propping his legs up on the side of the tub as he lay back.

"Inuyasha doesn't know you provoked Jakotsutou,"  
Bankotsu began, taking Jakotsu's left hand in his own. "But Jakotsu... You know we can't live like this..."  
"This isn't what we wanted. It's not the life you and I planned! The one we've been dreaming about..."

Jakotsu just looked at him.

"We can't continue to live like this."  
Jakotsu began to reply, but froze in shock as Inuyasha walked right into the bathroom through the door Bankotsu had left open.

He was holding his injured hands out infront of him, about to reach for a towel to wrap them in, before he noticed that BOTH of his room mates were already in the room. One of them was even bathing...

"Um..." He mumbled, purposely averting his eyes. "You want me to come back?.."

Jakotsu, being surprisingly modest, lowered his legs back into the water where he couldn't see them before replying.  
"No, just ignore us." He said, waving it off.  
"Bankotsu, I believe, found it necessary to lecture me now since I'm naked and defenseless."

"Yeah, he'll keep a closer watch on Jakotsutou now." Bankotsu assured Inuyasha, standing up and handing a towel to him with a forced smile.

"Thanks." Inuyasha said, his eyes fixed on the door.  
"I'll be fine. A few scratches from a non-poisonous snake won't kill me."

He then walked back into his room and Bankotsu followed after him just to be safely inconspicuous.

Inuyasha sat on Bankotsu's bed, firmly dabbing the cuts on his hands with the towel and Bankotsu sat with him.

"Sorry I didn't warn you about-"  
"Why weren't you-"  
They spoke in unison, both falling silent.

Bankotsu spoke first. "Why wasn't I what?"

"Why weren't you... You know, like looking away or something?.."  
Inuyasha looked up at Bankotsu, who seemed to be growing nervous.  
"I mean you acted like it didn't bother you at all that he was..."

"Well, you know we've been friends for years..."  
Bankotsu explained, trying not to look away from Inuyasha's accusing eyes.  
"I mean we had guys' shower rooms in Physical Education class and I mean, he doesn't have anything I don't, you know?"

"Yeah, but he's gay."

Bankotsu's eyes widened as he stared back into Inuyasha's fixed golden ones, and the answers to the questions that had been troubling him slapped him right in the face. Why hadn't he seen it sooner? The obvious reason all of this had happened...  
He read right into the simple statement as if Inuyasha had just answered everything at once.

_'He's gay, that's why._

It's the reason our friendship is falling apart, Bankotsu. Jakotsu and I don't belong in the same house. We can't be friends and we can not live together peacefully. We're just too different from one another...

_If I ever knew you were gay as well, I just couldn't be around you...'_

He stared silently at Inuyasha, suddenly aware of the fact that his hands were shaking and his eyes were beginning to burn.  
The true meaning of the word 'homophobic' finally dawned on him.

"You... You're right."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him. "Um, I know that much, you told me before he even moved here..."  
"No." Bankotsu looked away from him, fighting back tears as he shook his head miserably.

"We are too different, and I just didn't see it until now..." He stood, turning toward the door.  
"I'm sorry for making you put up with my gay high school friend."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, realizing that for whatever reason, his words had really hurt Bankotsu.  
He didn't get a chance to even formulate his apology before Bankotsu left the room, closing the door behind him.

(AN. Life holds many unexpected turns and changes. Let downs and heartbreak that can't be avoided.  
We humans experience such things and are left to choose how we deal with them.  
Will we move on, or let them tear us apart?

Maybe the question is not 'will' but 'can'.

Can we find the strength to move on, or can we bear to move on,  
letting go of things we love?)

(2nd AN. read this only if you have questions about Jaktosutou!

Okay, I know there'll be some questions regarding Jakotsutou's attack, so I'll answer them here.

Do snakes really do that?? Yes, in fact. Jakotsutou is a Burmese Python, one of the largest snakes in the world. You know how at zoos the reptile exhibits have signs that say "Do not knock on glass or No photography"? This is because the snakes are sensitive, certain things like loud noises can upset or excite them. If a snake feels threatened it'll probably lunge at you, and if you're on the other side of the glass, this can cause it to severely injure itself. Not to mention scare the person it tried to attack... Even the slightest injury to a snake's nose can be fatal, so this is obviously something the owners of the zoo would want to avoid.

Burmese pythons in the wild usually have more sense than captive ones, but even they've been known to recognize the sound of another snake in pain. This is usually a way to recognize danger, such as a predator that may have injured another snake. The sound alone was not what triggered Jakotsutou, the flash did as well. Mixed together, the sound and flash triggered his instincts, which, unfortunately for Inuyasha, included offensive action.

I hope that's cleared up a bit for everyone! Don't hesitate to question further! ^_^)


	11. Elaborate Lives

I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again **

(AN. This chapter is a song chappie. The song is named "Elaborate Lives" and it's from Aida, the amazing Broadway play. For the record, I'll be posting a new story based on Rent, another of the best Broadway plays ever. Rent is now a movie, and it's in theatres now. I just saw it tonight.

I meant to post the story tonight but nothing ever seems to go by my plans.  
So look forward to it soon and go see the movie if you get a chance. You won't be sorry. It's beautiful and full of shounenai!)

**Chapter Eleven: Elaborate Lives And Costly Sacrifices**

Jakotsu frowned, glancing at the clock before turning back to watch Bankotsu.  
He was sitting perfectly still and silent, staring fixedly at the television, which had been turned off for hours.

He was growing increasingly worried for his love, knowing that everything that had happened the previous day had weighed heavily on his conscious. It was becoming difficult to continue their complicated lives, with their dreams finally within their reach; tensions had risen, almost to their breaking point.

_We all lead such elaborate lives  
Wild ambitions in our sights  
_

It was incredible, how much effort Bankotsu had put into their union, hiding their love for one another from a man who lived with them. It was a wonder his love hadn't faded...

_How an affair of the heart survives  
Days apart and hurried nights...  
_

"Baby?" Jakotsu walked out infront of him, gazing worriedly into his eyes.  
He had a very good idea of what Bankotsu was feeling, for he felt it too.

_Seems quite unbelievable to me  
I don't want to live like that.  
_

Bankotsu surveyed him silently for a few minutes, his eyes roaming over his lover's body. He took note of the silky black pants, his favorite bedtime choice of dress, before his eyes passed over his bare chest, resting on his face.

He was missing him already...

"It's six o clock Aisuru," Jakotsu spoke softly, sitting down next to him and keeping eye contact the whole time.  
"You didn't even sleep last night, did you?"

Bankotsu barely shook his head, his fixed stare wavering as the emotions he'd been holding in rushed through his body, immediately beginning to burn his eyes, begging for release.

_Seems quite unbelievable to me  
I don't want to love like that.  
_

"What's wrong?"

Jakotsu recognized the intense sadness that had suddenly entered his companion's eyes and raised a hand to cup his cheek, wishing desperately that he could take his pain away.

_I just want our time to be  
Slower and gentler, wiser, free...  
_

Bankotsu pulled his head back, skillfully dodging his gesture of loving concern.

Jakotsu's eyes widened and he pulled his hand back as if he'd just been burned.

"What was that for?"  
His lover tossed his head, indicating something behind Jakotsu, who turned to look behind himself.

Inuyasha stood silently in the doorway between the kitchen and hallway, watching their interaction:  
He had no idea of just how deep the problem they were facing ran.

He took a few hesitant steps forward before asking Bankotsu the same thing Jakotsu had.

"What's wrong?"

Bankotsu's eyes avoided Inuyasha, resting instead on Jakotsu, whom, he suddenly realized, he wished would hold him.  
At that point the phone began to ring, but neither Jakotsu nor Inuyasha were willing to leave Bankotsu's side to pick it up.

They waited for the noise to cease before turning back to him.

Inuyasha walked gingerly to the other side of the couch, following Bankotsu's gaze to Jakotsu, who was looking up at him almost guiltily.

"Did he..." Inuyasha began, trying to get Bankotsu to look up.  
"Did he hurt you; try to force you into something you didn't want to do, maybe?"

Bankotsu suddenly shook his head rather violently, bringing his hands up to cover his face before replying with a stern "Never".  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, guilt rushing through him as he realized that he may be the reason Bankotsu was so upset.

_We all live in extravagant times  
Playing games we can't all win  
_

"Look," Inuyasha began, unsure of what to say.  
"Whatever I said last night I didn't mean it, I was just pissed, but it's no big deal really."

He held his hands up so Bankotsu could see them.  
"They're healing. I'll go to the doctor today to get them bandaged and it'll be fine. I won't even have to go to classes! I owe Jakotsutou for sparing me all that stupid note taking!"

Bankotsu pulled his hands from his face, glancing at Inuyasha's before turning to stare at the couch, avoiding both of his roommates.  
"Leave me alone." he mumbled, barely louder than a whisper.

Inuyasha's eyes met Jakotsu's, the same uncertainty reflecting from each of them.

"Okay..."  
Inuyasha stood up, walking over to the kitchen and checking the phone to see who'd called. He then turned back to the two on the couch and informed them of his plans.

"It was Kagome; I'll go see what she wants and be back later today, all right?"

"All right." Jakotsu nodded, beginning to stand up as well.  
Bankotsu caught his hand quickly, his eyes darting upward to meet Jakotsu's.

Intense relief filled Jakotsu as he sat back down, confident that he'd get some answers as soon as Inuyasha was gone.

_Unintended emotional crimes  
take some out take others in  
_

Inuyasha slid his shoes on, stepping outside and locking the door behind himself.

Jakotsu watched Bankotsu expectantly but he did not move until he heard the familiar sound of Inuyasha's car starting up and peeling off into the street.

As soon as the sound became distant, Bankotsu crawled forward on the couch, falling right into Jakotsu's open arms.

Jakotsu wrapped his arms around him, holding him gently as he began stroking his hair and Bankotsu cuddled closer into his embrace, feeling much like a child in his arms.

_I'm so tired of all we're going through  
I don't want to live like that.  
_

Jakotsu didn't inquire about anything, choosing to allow Bankotsu to lie there silently until he felt that he was ready to speak.  
Sure enough, Bankotsu sat up after receiving only a moment of the calming comfort which only Jakotsu had ever been able to bring him.

Jakotsu released him and Bankotsu pulled himself closer, into a straddling position on his love's lap. He then rested his head on the taller man's shoulder, wrapping his arms around his upper torso.

Bankotsu sat like that for a long moment, as if pulling strength from his lover's body, the courage he needed to speak finally building up as Jakotsu's arms encircled him, holding him securely to himself.

He spoke then, gently but firmly, holding Jakotsu tightly as if afraid that his presence was nothing more than an illusion.

"We can't do this anymore Jakotsu..."

Jakotsu remained silent, closing his eyes and listening intently.  
The relief he'd felt before faded quickly.

Bankotsu continued, finally able to speak the words he knew he had to.  
"I was wrong, we really weren't meant to live together like this."

_I'm so tired of all were going through  
I don't want to love like that  
_

Jakotsu forced himself to remain calm, loosening his grip on Bankotsu.  
He spoke, knowing that it was now or never; that Bankotsu needed to know exactly how he felt.

"No," He replied, with just as much confidence as Bankotsu.  
"You were right, we both accepted it a long time ago, remember?"

_I just want to be with you  
Now and forever, peaceful, true  
_

"This is our dream we worked so hard to achieve. It's where we've always wanted to be."  
He reminded him, continuing his argument with even more vigor.  
"Inuyasha said himself that nothing had to change. We belong here just as we did barely two weeks ago when I first came here to be with you."

Bankotsu shook his head gently, admitting that Inuyasha had changed.  
"He told me last night that... He couldn't live with you because you're so different, because you're..."

Jakotsu's eyes widened in shock but he held his ground, pointing out the fact that Inuyasha had admitted that he was angry and didn't mean anything he'd said the previous night.

"But that's just it." Bankotsu explained. "He didn't mean to say it, but he just let slip what he'd been wishing he could tell me. The reason he's been changing so much, the answer to the question of why he's been spending so much time at Kagome's house and the reason why he gets that look in his eyes whenever you're around..."

Jakotsu remained silent. He had not noticed just how often Inuyasha had left or ignored them, simply because Jakotsu had always been happy to have Bankotsu to himself.

But the more he thought about it the more he realized that Bankotsu was probably right.  
Inuyasha did indeed leave often, and he did give him some strange looks.  
Jakotsu hated to think that his presence had made Inuyasha feel so uncomfortable in his own home without even knowing.

If he had known he would've gotten a job or found some ways to get out of the house rather than trips to the mall, the gym, and going out to eat with Bankotsu.

"It's not your fault..." Bankotsu said, reading into his thoughts.  
"It's more my own fault for not being able to read through it when Inuyasha lied about not having a problem with you being here."

"You'd think I'd know my best friend a little better than that, right?" He frowned at the look on Jakotsu's face, realizing that he was severely disappointed; his words had crushed so many of his hopes and beliefs...

But he had no choice but to tell him.

_This may not be the moment  
To tell you face to face_

_But I could wait forever for  
The perfect time and place  
_

Jakotsu shook his head, finding himself suddenly angry toward the silver-headed cutie he'd never had much of a problem with before then. It took a great deal of effort, but he managed to speak again with a minimal amount of bitterness in his words.

"It's not your fault he didn't want to be straight with you..."

_We all lead such elaborate lives  
We don't know whose words are true  
_

"He just didn't want to hurt my feelings..." Bankotsu sighed, pulling himself from Jakotsu's embrace.

_We hide our love behind so many lies  
Hard to know who's loving who  
_

"It doesn't matter what he did or didn't tell us. What matters is that now we know the truth, and we have to do something about it..."

_Too many choices tear us apart  
I don't want to live like that  
_

Jakotsu's eyes met Bankotsu's; silently begging him not to say what he knew was inevitable as they filled with tears he'd been holding back.

_Too many choices tear us apart  
I don't want to love like that  
_

"I'll help you get your stuff together," Bankotsu offered, cupping Jakotsu's cheek so that he couldn't look away.  
"And you can be out of here before he even gets back home this afternoon..."

Jakotsu choked on a sob, closing his eyes tightly as the tears began to flow.

Bankotsu leaned forward and kissed them from his cheeks before wrapping his arms around his neck.

_I just want to touch your heart  
_

Jakotsu held him close, drying his eyes on his shoulder before pulling back and resting his head against the back of the couch.  
Bankotsu watched him nervously, hoping that he'd accept his offer and leave for the good of all three of them.

_May this confession  
Be the start_

( In order to gain something one must be willing to give something in return.  
How much or how little? Would the loss and gain be equivalent?

Or is there not such a thing as truly equivalent exchange.

In life, such ideals are difficult to grasp

Are rarely, if ever, possible

So when one chooses to make a sacrifice, he or she must be prepared.

Must accept the low possibility of receiving, in return, what he or she desires.

It is easy to lose hope in such situations

To regret, to wonder what could've become of what's been lost

What is difficult is to remain firm in one's beliefs

To stand in the shadow of doubt, the odds weighing heavily against you,  
and look fate in the eye.

What is difficult is to maintain: confidence.)


	12. Jakotsu

I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again  
**

Jakotsu took a deep breath before reopening his eyes in order to glare at Bankotsu, who was, in his opinion, all too calm.

"This isn't fair..." He said, pouting. "I've done everything you said: I didn't tell anyone about us, I did my share to pay for the house and clean up around here, I even kept myself from ever even touching you in public!"

Bankotsu backed slightly away from him, thinking better of mentioning the fact that Jakotsu had, indeed, 'touched him in public', merely two days before. He couldn't have mentioned it, because Jakotsu wasn't finished with him just then.

"And now we can't live together just because your weird, dog-boy friend is close-minded and ignorant?"

Bankotsu sighed lightly, assured then that Jakotsu wasn't going to let go that easily.  
He offered him a gentle smile, taking his lover's face in his hand and wiping away the new trail of tears that had escaped, rolling down and over the tattoos on his cheeks.

"Everything will be made easier if we're apart." He explained, wiping away another tear for him.  
"We'll be able to slow down and enjoy ourselves. We won't have to hurry or keep quiet while making love and we can spend as many nights together as we want without anyone thinking anything of it."

Jakotsu remained silent, closing his eyes.

"And don't you think it'll be nice that we'll never have to say things like  
'Let's do this now and quickly, because it might be a while before we get another chance.'?"

He gazed at his lover, whose eyes had slid back open, hoping to see him nod in agreement.

"Jakotsu this is hard enough without you-"

Jakotsu suddenly shoved Bankotsu from his lap, pinning him to the couch cushions and catching him by complete, nearly fearful surprise. He arranged himself atop his confused companion, sitting comfortably on him, his legs resting on either side of Bankotsu's waist.

Jakotsu placed his hands on his lover's shoulders, effectively keeping him pinned where he wanted him.

"Jakotsu?.." Bankotsu gazed into his eyes, finding the mixed jumble of emotions there difficult to read.  
His heart told him to just shut up and listen, but something else was telling him to run, to get out of this position before he got hurt.

He chose to listen to his heart, and the only one who'd ever touched it.

"What are you doing?"  
He questioned his distressed lover, calmly waiting for a reply.

The entire house seemed to fall into an eerie silence, the only noise coming from Jakotsu's choked sobs and the gentle breathing of the man beneath him.

Bankotsu's composure calmed Jakotsu considerably as he stared down at him.  
His desperation and haste left him for the moment and he leaned down to give his love a passionate kiss, making it clear that he was no longer angry with him.

The phone rang yet again but Jakotsu completely ignored it, keeping his attention on the man below himself.

He freed him from his controlling hold, choosing instead to wrap his arms around his neck and deepen their kiss.  
Bankotsu returned the kiss eagerly, reaching up to entwine his fingers in Jakotsu's hair.  
He pulled the pin that held his bun together out, and dropped it to the ground.

Jakotsu broke the kiss and pulled back, allowing his lover to watch his hair cascade over his bare shoulders.  
He knew that Bankotsu loved his hair when it was out. He smiled lovingly down at him, toying with his braid and causing him to smile as well.

"I love you." He stated, watching Bankotsu closely for a reaction.  
But he just continued smiling up at him, knowing that Jakotsu already knew how he felt about him.

"Come with me."

Bankotsu's smile faded and he stared disbelievingly up at him, hoping he had simply misheard his words.

Jakotsu continued, returning his hands to their former spot on Bankotsu's shoulders.  
"You and I belong together; we're two halves of a whole, incomplete without one another..."

Bankotsu blinked tearfully, casting his eyes from Jakotsu's before giving him a reply.

"I... I can't."

"Of course you can," he shrugged, waving it off as though he hadn't said anything.  
He smiled down at Bankotsu, confident that he wasn't really considering living without him.  
But his smile soon faded as Bankotsu's next words reached his ears.

"No, I can't. I won't..."

"Oh yes you will," Jakotsu retaliated, pinning Bankotsu's hands securely beneath his knees before continuing.

"You're in love with me, and I already know that. We can't hide it forever... One of us will eventually..."  
He gave him a sly grin, leaning forward to whisper the final words in his ear.

"Slip up."

Bankotsu's eyes widened as he caught his drift, but he shook off the surprise, turning his head and catching Jakotsu's lips in another kiss.

Jakotsu pulled back, letting out an excited squeal before kissing him back, enjoying himself even more this time around.  
He quickly became absorbed in the kiss, not noticing when Bankotsu worked his hands free and pulled them up to his chest.

Jakotsu broke the kiss after a few minutes, pushing himself back up with his hands against the couch so that Bankotsu could get comfortable.

"I'm not letting you go until you agree to come with me."

He smiled contentedly down at him but regretted it instantly as Bankotsu took his opportunity to sit up and roll over, successfully causing Jakotsu to fall to the ground.

He got up quickly, intending to turn Jakotsu's pinning technique against him. But before he'd had a chance to get on top of him, Jakotsu rolled over, shoving him to the ground and pinning him instead.

Bankotsu lay still, trying to keep eye contact with Jakotsu instead of wincing as he was tempted to.  
He couldn't help but feel as though Jakotsu intended to harm him...

"We can make a deal..." Jakotsu stated, rather than offered.  
"I'll feel much better about leaving if I know that you'll really miss me..."

"Of course I will." Bankotsu assured, keeping his eyes locked onto Jakotsu's.  
"You already know th-."

Jakotsu interrupted him with a quick kiss, whispering two words before removing his right hand from his shoulder where it had been keeping him pinned.

"Show me..."  
Bankotsu couldn't help but squirm a bit as his hand trailed slowly downward over his torso before coming in contact with the tie on his pants.

"Prove to me, just how much you love me..."

Jakotsu skillfully undid the bow-like fastening, sliding his fingers into his lover's pants before said lover rolled over, nearly succeeding in knocking him off.  
But Jakotsu regained his composure quickly, returning his hand to its former place so that he was securely pinned.

Bankotsu didn't even have time to struggle before Jakotsu leaned forward and closed his mouth over the soft flesh of his neck, threatening to bite it if he tried to push him back off.

Bankotsu calmed himself, lowering his arms from his distressed love's body.  
He took a deep breath, the constriction on his neck and chest causing him to wince slightly, reminding him just how like a snake his lover really was.

He racked his brain for something to say or do to Jakotsu to calm him, closing his eyes as he fought back his tears.

Yes, he'd admitted to himself that he'd love to be able to go with Jakotsu.  
But he knew that he couldn't do that without making it painfully obvious to Inuyasha that they were together.  
Not to mention the fact that he'd promised to stay and help Inuyasha pay the rent...  
It couldn't work, not without blowing their cover and...

Bankotsu's thoughts halted as his eyes widened to the size of saucers, the sight above him one he wouldn't have expected in a thousand years.

Kagome was standing right beside the couch, stepping silently closer to ensure that she didn't attract Jakotsu's attention.

Once she was sure Bankotsu could see her well, she held up her cell phone, indicating that she was going to call for help by pointing to the numbers.

Bankotsu barely shook his head, clearly mouthing the word "no" to her.

Kagome shrugged helplessly, her eyes falling worriedly on Jakotsu before her head rose to look at something else which Bankotsu couldn't see. She waved a hand, signaling for someone to come closer to her and much to Bankotsu's dismay; Inuyasha was the one to respond to the gesture.

( AN. The world crumbles  
before his deep blue eyes

The love fades  
and is replaced with lies

The fear mounts  
Tensions arise

His life ends

and finally he cries )

(AN2: I just noticed that I use the word "aisuru" more often then I intend! For those of you who also neglected to notice it -and therefore opted against looking up its meaning- I'd like to tell you now that "aisuru" is a Japanese word meaning something along the lines of "dearest" or "my love".

It's the main nickname Jakotsu and Bankotsu call one another, but of course, no one else really knows what it means.)


	13. The End

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as the day Ibegan itwas her birthday.  
Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again **

**Chapter Thirteen: The End of Their Dream**

Kagome reached over and unhooked Inuyasha's shocker collar, handing it to him.  
He indicated the label to Bankotsu, which said "Stunner jr. 80,000 volts," before lowering it toward Jakotsu, who was still completely oblivious to the presence of their 'visitors.'

Bankotsu instantly rolled away from Inuyasha, closing his eyes tightly as Jakotsu bit down on his neck.  
He wrenched his neck from Jakotsu's grip, turning quickly to slap the collar from Inuyasha just in time before Jakotsu shoved him back to the ground.

But this time Inuyasha intervened, pulling Jakotsu's arms back before he had a chance to use them to pin Bankotsu, and forcing him to the ground.

Jakotsu fought against his hold but just as he escaped it, Kagome, who skillfully slapped the shocker collar around his neck, holding the remote far from his or Bankotsu's reach, stopped him.

"Stop it!" She commanded, stepping away as he took a well-aimed swipe at her, nearly hitting her extended arm.

"She'll do it..." Inuyasha warned, trying his best to restrain Jakotsu.

But Jakotsu wasn't going to let it stop him; he wouldn't be made the enemy for wanting to be with his own lover.  
He turned to Kagome and she took a step back as he wrenched his arms from Inuyasha once again, but this time he shifted suddenly, lunging toward Bankotsu.

Bankotsu caught him willingly, pulling him from Inuyasha and sitting him securely in his lap before putting a hand to the shock collar, preventing Kagome from activating it.

Jakotsu sat sideways on his lover's lap, wrapping his arms around his upper torso and Bankotsu held him securely to himself with his free hand.

"He's not doing anything, okay?" He reasoned, trying to calm his worried friends.  
"Not hurting me at all."

Inuyasha sat on the ground, catching his breath before inquiring about what the hell had just happened.  
"Bankotsu, you told me just minutes ago that Jakotsu never tries to hurt you or force you into anything."

"He wasn't," Bankotsu replied, stroking Jakotsu's back to try to calm him.  
"He was just a little pissed at me, that's all. This is my fault entirely."

"It's not your fault you didn't want to live with him," Inuyasha retaliated, causing Bankotsu to wonder about just how much of their conversation he'd overheard.

"He's obviously a psycho if he tackled you like that just for turning him down.  
I wouldn't even consider living alone with that unstable queer if I were you.  
You never know when he'll snap again..."

Bankotsu stared at him, realizing that Inuyasha thought Jakotsu's love for him was unrequited. He must've walked in just before Jakotsu had shoved him down on the couch if he hadn't heard him say anything about why Bankotsu wanted him to leave...

"You shouldn't even be protecting him either, Bankotsu. He's just as dangerous as that snake he loves so damn much."  
Bankotsu pulled Jakotsu closer to himself, hearing his love choke on a sob against his chest. "That's not true..."

At that remark Inuyasha almost laughed, suggesting that Bankotsu take a look at the bite mark on his neck.

Bankotsu turned his head toward the place where he could still feel the pain on his neck. He couldn't see the mark itself, but he could see the wet red stain on the shoulder of his shirt.

"What is it?" Jakotsu pulled his head from Bankotsu's shoulder to try to get a look at the other side of his neck. But Bankotsu caught him quickly, holding him so that he couldn't see it.

"Did I hurt you - I did, didn't I? – Aisuru let me see it!" Jakotsu protested, but Bankotsu merely put a hand in his silky black hair, holding his head to his chest.

"I'm fine. You're the one who's hurt…"

"He's hurt!?" Inuyasha scoffed, interrupting Bankotsu's nearly successful attempt at calming his worried love.

"We're gonna have to have you checked for rabies..." He continued, glaring at the man in his best friend's lap.  
"Should've left the little bastard in Kyoto with all of his filthy friends you told me about."

At this Bankotsu shook his head, releasing the collar in order to wrap both of his arms around his lover, who was becoming even more distressed with every word Inuyasha spoke.

"Jakotsu loves me..." He admitted, Inuyasha's lack of surprise making him feel a bit better as he continued to explain.  
"I brought him here because I wanted him to be with me so that he wouldn't have to be hurt anymore."

"Oh so you'll protect him from hurt while he has no problem with his snake attacking your friends, and then you continue to protect him when he himself turns around and attacks you!"

Bankotsu pulled the shocker collar from Jakotsu's neck, tossing it back to his enraged friend before standing up, holding Jakotsu securely, bridal style, in his arms.

"You just don't understand him like I do..."

That said Bankotsu carried Jakotsu back to his room, laying him gently on his bed before giving him a reassuring kiss on his frowning lips. He sighed as Jakotsu's eyes fell on the bite mark he'd left on his neck, and moved quickly to stop him from freaking out about it.

Bankotsu put a hand over his love's mouth, not allowing him to speak.  
He looked into Jakotsu's eyes, speaking firmly and truthfully to him.  
"I'm not angry, and everything's going to be all right, including us."

He removed his hand from Jakotsu's mouth and was unsurprised when Jakotsu began to mumble his apologies at the speed of sound.

"Bankotsu i'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I love you so much. I never meant to hurt you and if this-"

Bankotsu silenced him with another kiss, returning his hand to its place over his love's mouth. "Please don't call me by my name. It's unlike you…" He whispered, rolling his eyes as Jakotsu mumbled another apology into his hand. " 'm sorrhy aishuroo."

His annoyance left however, when his love's lip began trembling beneath his hand, the rest of his body following suit as tears began escaping his reddened eyes.

"Don't…" Bankotsu nearly begged him. "Don't be afraid. It'll be all right, I promise."  
Bankotsu gave him one last kiss before instructing him to try to calm down until he'd returned to help him pack.

Jakotsu rolled onto his side, but did not try to calm himself. He instead let out the sob he'd been holding in and brought his hands up to cover his face as the tears began to flow freely.

He did not even do anything to stop himself when he rolled off of the bed, choosing instead to sit on the ground and let his pain escape through his burning eyes and dry throat.

Bankotsu closed the door behind himself, but stood near it, trying to gather the courage to face Inuyasha again. He simply sighed to himself when he heard his love hit the floor, his muffled sobs ringing in Bankotsu's head.

He knew his aisuru was inconsolable, but he did have to force himself not to reenter the room. He put his face in his hands, not allowing his own anguish to escape.

Bankotsu then gathered his strength, and returned to the living room.

He first offered Inuyasha a hand, pulling him from the ground so that they could sit together on the couch, then turned to him, taking the time to nod toward Kagome so that she knew that she was welcome to stay and listen to what he had to say.

"As you probably know..." He began, taking a deep, calming breath.  
"After what happened yesterday, I made up my mind and requested that Jakotsu find his own place, which he has agreed to do."

Inuyasha nodded, not bothering to mention that he already knew that much of the story.

"But unfortunately, after having spent so much time with me after such a long separation, Jakotsu found himself wanting to remain living with me, even if it wouldn't be here, in our current apartment.  
He was willing to make the change, you see, but only if I would accompany him in his new place."

Inuyasha nodded once again as Kagome took a seat by his side, listening intently.

"But I told him I couldn't, you know, considering that would mean leaving Inuyasha by himself to pay the rent. And since we chose a house rather than an actual apartment, I really can't leave him to pay for the whole thing..."

At this point Inuyasha tried to interrupt but Bankotsu knew what he was going to say so he held a hand up to keep him quiet.

"But that's not the only reason... I'm quite comfortable here." Bankotsu fell silent after this lie, allowing his audience a chance to speak.

"So what are you going to do then?" Inuyasha asked, trying to ignore the fact that Bankotsu had been purposely avoiding looking into his eyes.

"The only thing I can do... I'll help him pack and get started with searching for a new place for him tomorrow morning." He paused, sighing lightly before speaking his final thought.

"If everything works out right you won't have to deal with my 'psycho queer' friend anymore."

Inuyasha bowed his head apologetically, retracting the comment he'd made about Jakotsu being crazy. "I know he's not crazy..." He admitted. "He's just a bit emo. More than I'm used to I mean..."

Bankotsu stood, finding himself unable to stay in Inuyasha's company any longer.  
He took a step forward but stopped himself, turning back to Inuyasha.

"Thanks for, you know, helping me out with Jakotsu... He doesn't usually get so... physical."

Inuyasha nodded, offering Bankotsu a smile in return for his appreciation.  
"I couldn't have just left you like that..."

Bankotsu smiled back before continuing to the back of the house, calling behind himself to let them know that they were free to go about their business.

Inuyasha sighed in relief, before taking up his offer. He led Kagome back to the car so that he could go spend some time with her as he'd promised.

Bankotsu silently pushed the door to Jakotsu's room open, carefully walking over to his bed, making sure that Jakotsutou was not underfoot.  
He was slightly relieved to find that Jakotsu had picked himself off of the ground and returned to his bed, but the sight of him still worried Bankotsu.

Jakotsu lie on his stomach, sobbing miserably into his pillow as he tried to take Bankotsu's advice and force himself to fall asleep.  
But it became apparent that there was way too much worry on his mind for him to be able to rest.

Jakotsu lifted his head from the pillow as Bankotsu placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He caught his hand in his own, rolling over so that he could look his love properly in the eye.

"Sleep with me..."  
He pleaded, tugging on his lover's arm like a frightened child.

Bankotsu nodded, taking a step back and pulling his shirt off, dropping it carelessly to the ground.  
Jakotsu sat up, moving over to allow Bankotsu to pull himself up onto his bed.

He wrapped his arms eagerly around him, snuggling into his embrace before pulling him down to rest their heads on his pillow. Bankotsu held in a sigh, pulling Jakotsu closer to himself as he apologized, yet again, for what he'd done.

"I'm so...So sorry..." He whispered, kissing his neck gently before running his tongue along the puncture wounds that ran just along the upper left portion of his love's collarbone.

"I'm fine." Bankotsu assured him. "Everything will be fine. I promise."  
He pulled away slightly so that Jakotsu could see the determined truth in his eyes.

He offered him a genuine smile before snuggling back against his chest.  
Bankotsu then closed his eyes, but Jakotsu stirred, putting a hand against his cheek.

"Aisuru…" He whispered, not continuing until his love had nodded to show he was listening. "I'll never hurt you again, that's my promise…"

Bankotsu smiled, pulling him closer.  
"All right. Now my love, sleep."

Jakotsu nodded, whispering his promise to himself.

"Never again."

( It hurts

When something you've been building for so long  
Crumbles before your eyes.

It stings

When you realize that your truth  
was built by lies

But soon, little boy, you'll realize

Times change, and people too  
Through the hardship, who'll be there for you?

You pray it's him, your one love that's true

But in the end, you're helpless,  
You know of the pain that'll ensue, but  
Of your fate

You haven't a clue. )


	14. The Calm After The Storm

disclaimer

Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu,  
or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)

I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,

Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as the day I wrote this was her birthday.

Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy.)

(AN. 2. I'm sorry for naming the last chapter like I did. So many of my reviewers asked me if that was the real end of the story, and it is certainly not.

In fact, if you skip this chapter you won't have missed any of the major plot. I rewrote and reposted this just to make the fangirls squeal. Please enjoy everyone!

Please enjoy everyone!)

**Never Again**

Chapter Fourteen: The Calm After The Storm

Jakotsu awoke suddenly, sitting up and surveying his room.

Bankotsu was nowhere in sight...

He sighed, frustrated, before allowing himself to fall back to his pillow, burying his face in the soft, fluffy object. Memories of the day before returned to him, bringing with them fear and anxiety; the likes of which he hadn't felt for years…

Since his father was killed.

Jakotsu held his breath, wishing a thousand times over that Bankotsu still lie beside him.

After Inuyasha had finally left them to each other all day and night, it felt strange that Bankotsu had left his side…

Jakotsu barely acknowledged the fact that he was awake, and wished he wasn't,  
He lifted his face weakly from his pillow, trying not to sob as he wondered what had awoken him. A strange feeling crept into his stomach; one that told him that his comfort had only recently gone.

Perhaps Bankotsu had just left his side...

He pushed himself up onto his palms, running a hand carefully over the spot where Bankotsu had previously lain. His eyes widened as Jakotsu realized that the blanket was still slightly warm.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, but had barely taken a single step before he tripped over something and fell painfully to the ground. He cursed himself for being so careless as the object he'd tripped on revealed itself as Jakotsutou's tail, which then wrapped itself around his leg.

"Mommy's sorry Jakotsutou..." He sighed, shaking his head before turning to look at his poor pet. "I've just been so out of it latel-"

Jakotsu froze as his eyes fell upon his trusted companion, Jakotsutou, whose long body was wrapped securely around the stomach of the love of his life.

Bankotsu lay still, his upper torso beneath the bed.

Jakotsu sat up quickly, but before he'd even lain a hand on Jakotsutou, Bankotsu had pushed himself from the ground, and turned to greet his lover with a smile.

Relief flooded through him, and Jakotsu settled back down. His love lifted Jakotsutou and set him safely on the floor before leaning forward to plant a kiss on his lover's forehead.

Bankotsu then handed him two small boxes, which he'd apparently found beneath the bed. "Photos of us? You should watch were you put those, lover…" He advised, but said lover merely stood and sat back on the bed, setting the boxes carelessly beside himself.

Bankotsu turned and sat before him, resting his hands on the letters on his love's torso.

Jakotsu shifted uncomfortably, but his love merely ran his fingers gently over the word, mumbling his opinion of it.

"You're my fag…" He whispered, pressing his lips against the 'F' shaped scar.

(AN. The scar on Jakotsu's hip is a token of his troubled past. He received it shortly after kissing Bankotsu at the prom. One of Bankotsu's "friends"; a homophobic jock, assaulted Jakotsu in the bathroom, carving the word "FAGIT" into him with a knife. This story will be told, in detail, in a later chapter. It is the reason Bankotsu is so terrified of anyone finding out that he and Jakotsu are together.)

After planting a warm, loving kiss on the F, he continued right down the word, kissing each letter before stopping at the last; 'T'.

This one he gave a longer, wet kiss, as it was the closest to his sweetheart's waist.  
"And I don't care what anyone else thinks about you or tries to do to separate us…"  
Bankotsu whispered, wrapping his arms around his waist and grinning at the way Jakotsu reveled in his touch.

"So just calm down and let it go…"

Jakotsu frowned at him, resting his own hands on his love's bare back. "I can't..."

"Oh…" Bankotsu mumbled, kissing him again, even lower than before.

"You want me to help you?" He offered, "Release all those bad feelings?.."

Jakotsu gave him a reprimanding look as he felt Bankotsu's arms leave his body, his hands almost immediately replacing them on his waist. His love merely smiled up at him, beginning to expertly work him out of his boxers, but Jakotsu put a hand to his to stop him.

"No… I don't need any help." He chuckled, "But thanks for your concern…"

Bankotsu swatted his hand away, quickly finishing the task of removing the bothersome garment and tossing it behind himself.

"Really, you don't have to." Jakotsu assured him, gazing down at his lover, who was then silently running his fingers up and down his length.

"After what happened, I just feel like I need to-"  
Bankotsu silenced him with a kiss, which caused Jakotsu to frown.

"Why won't you let me talk!?"

Bankotsu blinked at this outburst, but turned to him, listening intently. At the same time he kept at what he was doing, his fingers playing along his length until his boyfriend drew in a sharp, almost painful-sounding breath.

"Stop that, and listen to me…" He instructed, speaking through clenched teeth and not allowing his voice to crack.

"Please…" He grasped Bankotsu's hands, their fingers entwining as their eyes met.  
"I was awful to you. I owe you an apology." He began, keeping his hands in his own, though Bankotsu was trying to work them free.

"And you owe me something as well…"

Jakotsu sighed in frustration as Bankotsu freed his hands and hid them behind his back.

"Why are you being like this Aisuru?" He asked, putting his own hands in his lap so his love couldn't touch him. "Why be so sweet to me? After what I did to you…"

His large black eyes fell on his love's wounded neck and Bankotsu noticed immediately.  
He turned, casting his eyes away as he brought a hand up to cover it.

Jakotsu fell silent as worry threatened to overtake him. His guilty conscious stirred in his unsettled stomach and regret began to burn his eyes.

But contrary to his thinking, Bankotsu's heart had softened even more, and he turned to gaze compassionately into his lover's eyes. To Bankotsu, his one love's guilty suffering was ten times as painful as any flesh wound.

"I know you're sorry." He assured, resting his hands on Jakotsu's. "And that's all we need-"

"No!" Jakotsu interrupted him, shaking his head in disbelief. "I know you won't really let this go so easily. Aisuru don't be passive… Tell me the truth."

Bankotsu merely gazed silently up at him as his lover took his hands again in his own, pleading with him.

"Punish me, scold me. Tell me that I've been bad, but that you love me still.."

A mischievous grin lit Bankotsu's features and he pulled his hands back, placing them on the bed. "Oh, you want me to spank you?" He asked, sitting up on his knees and leaning closer to Jakotsu. "Does my naughty boyfriend want me to… Make it hurt?"

Unfortunately, Jakotsu did not find his reply humorous, but severely unsettling.  
"Why won't you be straight with m-?"

Bankotsu leaned forward and captured his love's lips in his own, giving him a short, sweet kiss to silence him, then he released him and met his gaze again.

"Because," He began, his voice devoid of sarcasm, "I've already forgiven you, and hurting you so that both of us will suffer won't solve anything."

Jakotsu's frown remained fixed on his face, but Bankotsu's words had brought him some comfort. "All right…" He mumbled.

Bankotsu grinned in satisfaction before mentioning that if he were straight with Jakotsu, than they'd have to break up.

"Straight men don't much like sleeping together…" He explained, "And I get lonely at night."

Jakotsu rolled his eyes at this, trying not to laugh. "I didn't mean straight like th-"

Bankotsu interrupted him with a kiss before sliding his hands beneath Jakotsu's, and into his lap.  
"I was…" Jakotsu paused, moving his hands out of the way. "Just a little worried," He continued, only to be cut off by his lover, who had stood on his knees and pressed his lips to his own.

Bankotsu kissed him deeply and passionately, bringing one hand up to cup his cheek.

His lover returned the kiss cautiously, but when Bankotsu tightened his hold, Jakotsu flinched, almost breaking the kiss. But the determined seme held his ground, moving closer, kissing him more feverishly, and all the while continuing the ministrations of his hands.

Jakotsu moaned his disapproval into the other man's mouth, finding himself too overwhelmed with pleasure to even breathe.

So Bankotsu released his lips, giving his love a chance to swallow and catch his breath, but he did not let up.  
He moved to devote his mouth to the side of his neck, keeping his hands moving steadily against his lover's then hot, stiffening member.

Once he was satisfied with its firmness, he released Jakotsu's neck and began to trail kisses down his torso, the last of which he planted on the 'T'.

Jakotsu shook his head gently, fixing his eyes downward, on his lover.  
Bankotsu was sitting the same way he always had, in the exact same position.

His love could still picture him, years younger, doing the very same thing.

He absolutely loved the way Bankotsu always pleasured him like this; with the same routine. And he always reacted the same way…

He watched for only a moment as his lover teased him with his fingers, pressing each one gently into the hot flesh beneath them which had begun to throb with anticipation.

Finally he shifted, letting two of his fingers slide fully into his lover, who resisted the urge to cry out at the sudden intrusion. He began to move them slowly, allowing Jakotsu to adjust before slipping a third in as well. This time Jakotsu did voice his pain. He hissed quietly, but moved to pull Bankotsu closer. He put his hands around his love's neck, his eyes screwing shut as Bankotsu pressed a kiss to the hot, slightly wet head.  
His tongue slid down the length of it as those fingers pumped into and out of his lover.  
Bankotsu chuckled as he felt the other man shudder, anticipation getting the best of him.

"Please..." Jakotsu breathed.

But Bankotsu continued the maddeningly slow pace. He teasingly blew some cool air onto his love's hot member, looking up at his face. He slid his fingers still deeper into the tight entrance until the hint of pain entered his boyfriend's tightly closed eyes, then moved forward and took his engorged manhood into his mouth.

He worked his tongue expertly against the hot flesh, listening intently to the moans escaping his lover's throat.

But just as quickly as it had begun, the delicious warmth was removed, and Jakotsu gasped as his seme moved to stand before him. Before he could voice his surprise, Bankotsu had already tugged his own pants off and replaced his fingers with the head of his own hot arousal.

He kissed him fiercely, barely noticing Jakotsu's painful moan as he pushed further into him. He released his lover's lips, allowing Jakotsu to lie back as he leaned over him, propping himself up on his hands.

Jakotsu moved gingerly, resting his legs atop his partners shoulders; careful to ensure that they remained intimately connected.

At this encouragement, Bankotsu pushed deeper, allowing himself to sink inch by inch, until he was completely sheathed in his lover's warmth. Then he paused, waiting.

After only a moment of adjusting, Jakotsu opened his eyes and moaned his encouragement to the younger man before him, clutching his hips and pulling him closer. He grit his teeth as Bankotsu slid smoothly backward, then closed his eyes again and let Bankotsu take over from there.

Moving slowly at first, Bankotsu eased back into his lover and out again, relishing the delicious friction between them. Then, as he began to move at a quicker pace, Jakotsu's pleasure became audible again. His shallow breathing came in time with each thrust, sometimes escalating to a husky moan, and others falling to a low pant. He moved to grasp his own painfully hard arousal, but Bankotsu did not permit it.

"That's my job," He whispered, licking his palm before taking it into his own fist. They kissed once more, Jakotsu shuddering under the feel of his lover's now perfectly timed pumping of both of their tightly clenched arousals.

The words had barely registered in Jakotsu's pleasure-wracked mind. Automatically his hands fell to his sides, gathering the sheets beneath him in tight fists and he arched upward. White lights flashed behind his closed eyes as Bankotsu ground against him, again and again, with ever increasing speed and force. And just as the hot, stiff tension began to pour out, sliding between Bankotsu's smooth fingers, the younger man jerked away from their kiss, burying his face in the rumpled sheets beneath them. Muffled moans sounded of their own accord as the pair trembled in the throws of their passion.

Jakotsu's tired eyes blinked open as his lover's weight fell upon him. They lie still, gently sweat-kissed bodies pressed together in an exhausted embrace. "I love," the younger of the two breathed, his breath hitching as he slid out of the tightly pulsing muscles.

The arms of his lover wrapped swiftly around him, a gentle squeeze signalling his whole-hearted agreement.

"you." Jakotsu finished for him, reveling in his now fleeting warmth.

Bankotsu slunk to the ground, his knees aching from being pressed against the bed for so long. But he moved immediately to wipe himself off, utilizing his earlier discarded boxers.

"Eww" Jakotsu winced involuntarily as he popped a finger into his mouth, cleaning the salty cum from his hand.

At this Bankotsu chuckled, a hint of mischievous wonder in his voice.

"Is it that gross?"

Jakotsu nodded, sitting up to give him some room as Bankotsu moved toward the bed.  
He got to his feet, but bent right over to give his lover a wet kiss.

"No…" Jakotsu chuckled, leaning back, and away from him.

But Bankotsu merely laughed, happy to accept the challenge of grossing him out.  
He crawled quickly onto his love's lap, pushing him down to lay on the mattress.

"What's the matter?" He asked, trying to kiss him again. "You said once that it was good."  
"Noooo." Jakotsu nearly screamed, dodging his lips. "I said yours was good!"

"Okay then, let's see what you think of your own." He suggested, trying to get ahold of his lips.

Jakotsu struggled beneath him, giggling hysterically as Bankotsu tried again and again to kiss him.

After wrapping his arms securely around his neck to hold him still, Bankotsu had barely succeeded in getting his tongue into his lover's mouth when they were distracted by the telephone.

"Ouch!' He pulled back, sitting up with his hand over his mouth.

"Ooh, sorry Aisuru…" Jakotsu chuckled, leaning to try to see the damage he'd done.

"No, it's fine."

Bankotsu protested, hiding his tongue so that his lover couldn't see when he sat up.  
"Let me see, Aisuru. I wanna-" He began, reaching for him, but Bankotsu ducked, reminding him that someone was still trying to get in touch with them. "The phone's ringing..."

Rolling his eyes, Jakotsu answered the telephone.  
"What?"

"Don't you 'what' me!"

Bankotsu turned to glare at the telephone, recognizing Inuyasha's voice. "Don't yell at him!" He interjected, scolding his rude friend.

On the other end, Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at his cell phone. "Wait, why are you both answering the phone?"

"I answered it," Jakotsu explained, "He's just sitting up here on- with me."

"Up where?" Inuyasha asked, immediately growing suspicious of him. "What are you doing to him?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing to him!"

Bankotsu reached for the telephone, but Jakotsu moved away from him. "Are you accusing me of something?"

"No…"

"I didn't do shit to him!"

"Well you should've said so!"

"I shouldn't have to explain myself to you! It's none of your business anyway!"

"It is my business if you're molesting my best friend!"

"He was my best friend first!" Jakotsu shot back, dodging his worried lover again.

"Well congratu-fuckin-lations!" Inuyasha said, sarcastically.

"Why are you getting so bitchy with me!?"

"Oh I dunno…" Inuyasha began, "Because you're like… A total rapist?"

Jakotsu almost gasped, outraged, "Rapi-!"  
Again Bankotsu tried to take the telephone from him, but he refused to let him.

"Yeah rapist, you heard me, psycho boy."

Bankotsu clapped a hand over Jakotsu's mouth as he began to grumble a reply that sounded, even muffled, dirty enough to warrant gargling mouthwash for an hour. "Calm down Aisuru," He mumbled, putting his arms around him. "Since he saw you on top of me, I guess he assum-"

"So I'm the psycho!" Jakotsu questioned, severely offended.  
"You're the one trying to make people eat their own jizz, and I'm the psycho?"

The room fell deathly silent as both men realized what he'd just said, but Inuyasha cut through the tension after a moment.

"Who's eating their own jizz?"

Jakotsu spoke, hesitantly. "Bankotsu thought I should know what it tasted like…"

"What'd he walk in on you screwing yourself and make a suggestion?"

"No!"

"I'm just asking I mean… I wouldn't doubt that you do that, so- hey wait a minute…" Inuyasha cut himself off, falling silent and the two men in the room nearly died waiting for him to continue.

"Do they make like, Playboy for boys? Or maybe something like a Playgirl?"  
After Inuyasha spoke, they found themselves actually disappointed that he was so dense.

"Goodness…" Jakotsu mumbled, shaking his head.

"Hey, I just thought I'd ask the expert…" Inuyasha mumbled. "Jizz eater…"

At this point Bankotsu spoke up, reprimanding him. "Oh like you've never tasted your own jizz, Inuyasha!"

"No I… Well I…"

"I know what mine tastes like!" Bankotsu offered, causing Jakotsu to blush and begin to laugh.

"Oh that's just- God…" They heard Inuyasha groan on the other end and Bankotsu joined in the laughter.

"It's either… Bitter or salty, depending how I've eaten that day."  
Bankotsu laughed, causing Jakotsu to blush even harder.

"I did not ask you all that!"  
Inuyasha scolded, each syllable dripping with deep disgust.

Jakotsu stopped laughing just long enough to mouth the words 'Yeah it is' to his lover, then both of them continued to have fun at Inuyasha's expense.

"You know you wanted to know." Bankotsu mumbled, catching Jakotsu before he rolled off of the bed.

"No I didn't want to know that!"

Bankotsu finally stopped laughing to raise an eyebrow at the telephone.  
"Wait, what'd you call for anyway?"

"I called cuz… Well I…" Inuyasha paused, wracking his brain for the answer. "Well now I don't even fuckin' remember!" He sighed. "All I can think about is salty jizz…" He glared in silence as both men on the other end of the phone began to laugh voraciously. "Fuck you both!" He yelled into the mouthpiece. "I'll be there in thirty minutes, and if you say anything about this I'll kick both your asses!"

With that he hung up, Bankotsu dropping the telephone to the ground, in favor of holding Jakotsu as they laughed together.

Once he'd calmed down, Bankotsu took his opportunity and pinned Jakotsu beneath himself, kissing him deeply and passionately.  
Jakotsu moaned disgustedly into his mouth, beginning to have another giggle fit.  
His love pulled away from him after a short time, announcing that he'd just scored 'a point'.

"Hey that's not fair!" Jakotsu pouted, rolling over to reverse their positions.

"I didn't even get a chance to get a point!"

"Jakotsu!" His lover gasped, struggling free of his hold and standing from the bed.

"Do you not think that Inuyasha would find it weird if we're both bare-ass naked when he comes in?"  
Jakotsu shook his head confidently, but Bankotsu turned away from him, heading for the door. "Put some clothes on." He called over his shoulder, not turning back around.

"I'll get breakfast started…"

As he reached for the doorknob, his love called out to him, and he turned back around as Jakotsu pulled his boxers back on.  
He then ran up to Bankotsu, handing him his pants.

"Don't forget these…"

Bankotsu laughed, thanking him as he accepted his forgotten clothing.  
"Hey, I can go commando in my own pad if I want." He shrugged.

Just as he began to put them back on, the familiar sound of the door lock caught his attention, and he looked up at his love, who wasted no time in shoving him to the ground and pulling his pants right back off of him.

"Whoa now…" Bankotsu sighed as his lover hurriedly settled himself on top of him.

"How dare you try to leave me like that!" Jakotsu asked, clearly being sarcastic. He leaned over and planted about two dozen kisses on his love's face within a minute.

"Chea-ting-at-our-game!" He scolded, speaking between kisses.

Bankotsu laughed, wrapping his arms around him. "All right, I'm sorry." He promised, but Jakotsu continued to pout in disapproval.

"What? What do you want from me?"

At this Jakotsu laughed, kissing him again before answering his question. "I wanna be on top next time."

"Nope" came Bankotsu's all-to-speedy reply.

"But I'll be nice and loud for you!" His love offered, nuzzling him. "I'll moan as much as you want and then I'll scream your name!"

"No," Bankotsu laughed, shaking his head.

"Bitch." Jakotsu pouted as Bankotsu rolled out from under him.

"Don't call yourself such names." Bankotsu advised, dodging the pillow his lover had launched at him and running out the door.

Jakotsu watched him leave, snickering to himself. "Wonder how long it'll take him to realize he's left his pants again..."

( AN The calm after the storm

A break in heartache

Such tranquility was never meant to last

as life itself is of trial

and misfortune

A test of strength which continues until the end

To live without pain, is to never have truly lived

at all.)


	15. Back To Reality

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as the day I wrote this was her birthday.  
Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy.)

(AN2: Here's the new 15th chapter! This is

(An. To make up for lost time, I've combined the original chapter 14 with 15, and separated them with… A separator bar. So in this now single chapter, some dramatic changes will take place so keep up, cuz the story climax is coming. Isn't it sad that these things seem to end so soon? Ah well, enjoy the fluff please, and the angst.)

**Never Again**

**Chapter Fifteen: Back To Reality**

"Do you admit defeat?" Jakotsu asked, holding his lover's pants from his reach.

"Yes, yes." Bankotsu laughed, snatching them. "You are so damn crazy…"  
"Dat's why you wuv me…" Jakotsu teased, pulling his own clothes back on.

"Yeah, don't I know it…"

Bankotsu hurried over to his love and planted a kiss on his lips.

"And now I have to go act innocent in the kitchen, if you'll excuse me."

Jakotsu shook his head furiously, ready to argue him into the ground.  
"No, no, you shouldn't go. You can just-"

Bankotsu interrupted him with a kiss before leaving the room, carrying Jakotsutou with him into the kitchen.

Jakotsu followed closely after him, right up into the kitchen.  
Bankotsu stopped before the refrigerator, pulling the door open with his one free hand, and keeping the other safely around Jakotsutou's neck.

"Ooh, lunch time baby!" Jakotsu sang, holding the door open for him as Bankotsu dug through the bottom compartments.  
"Please get him three." He requested, "He hasn't eaten in a week."

Bankotsu selected three nicely-sized mice before straightening up and placing them on the countertop.  
"If Inuyasha ever..." he mumbled, holding up the first and laughing as Jakotsutou snatched it from his hand. "This is so gross."

"I don't even care anymore." Jakotsu stated, sitting at the table and watching his companion tease his pet for a few seconds before finally lowering the next mouse within its reach.

(An. These are standard white mice, bred and sold for the sole purpose of feeding snakes.  
The ones in question are dead, and were bought frozen and left to thaw in the refridgerator.)

Jakotsu picked up the last mouse before Bankotsu could, and tossed it onto the living room floor.

Bankotsu withheld a gasp as Jakotsutou turned, swiftly beginning to unravel itself to try to reach the ground.  
He shot Jakotsu a stern glare before helping the heavy Burmese to the ground.

They watched it slither off to retrieve its meal before Bankotsu turned back to Jakotsu, who had already stood, stepped behind him, and wrapped his arms around his waist.

Bankotsu sighed as Jakotsu pulled him securely against himself, enjoying the feel of their bodies being pressed together.

"Inuyasha should be back soon..." Bankotsu warned, closing his eyes tightly as the familiar feel of Jakotsu's tongue sliding onto his neck began sending ripples of pleasure through his body.

Jakotsu closed his mouth over the soft flesh of his love's neck, pulling him closer and smiling against him as he suppressed a soft moan.

Bankotsu allowed himself to lean back into his lover's embrace, suddenly remembering the last time Jakotsu had held him like that; years ago, when he could be both intimate _and_ gentle with him.

He closed his eyes tightly before pulling away.

Jakotsu released his hold on his love's neck and stepped out in front of him, skillfully pushing him up against the wall.  
He leaned in to kiss him, but Bankotsu side-stepped, causing the now familiar pout to return to his love's face.

"Aisuru..." He whined, grasping his lover's hands as if he'd disappear if he let them go.  
"You don't have to do anything... He's already convinced that you don't love me."

"I know." Bankotsu sighed.  
"But he's already suspicious enough of you. I think he believed that you were trying to really hurt me yesterday..."

"I don't care what he thinks."

Jakotsu pulled Bankotsu closer to himself, finally getting his chance to kiss him deeply, just before the sound of the front door opening caused Bankotsu to jerk from his reach. And so Jakotsu carefully released him, accepting the fact that he'd have to eat his words.

He'd hurt his precious love enough for one week.

He completely released his hold on him and took a small step back as Inuyasha stepped into the house.

Inuyasha glared suspiciously at Jakotsu as he continued to back innocently away from his soon-to-be-former-roommate. He then closed and locked the door before turning back around to address his least favorite room mate, hoping to give him a word of warning.

But Jakotsu had already left the room, presumably heading back to his own bedroom.

"I've got my eye on you..." Inuyasha muttered, knowing that Jakotsu couldn't hear him.  
He turned to Bankotsu, realizing that Jakotsu's presence had succeeded in, once again, causing him to lose track of what he'd wanted to say.

"It's not going to happen again."  
Bankotsu stated, again completely derailing Inuyasha's train of thought.

Inuyasha turned to Bankotsu, who swiftly cast his eyes away.  
"I wanted to stay home more often. I hope he didn't do anything… traumatizing to you while I was away…"

"No, and I just told you, he's not going to do _anything_."

"But it couldn't hurt to keep a watch out for him."  
Inuyasha shrugged, failing to notice the look Bankotsu was giving him.

"Anyway" Inuyasha's now uncommonly seen grin flickered across his features as he remembered what he'd wanted to say. "Listen, I'm not saying you're in a hurry- your friend is welcome to stay for a couple more days -..."

Bankotsu scoffed, making it clear that he was displeased.  
He hated the way Inuyasha was refusing to speak Jakotsu's name...

"But Kagome and I have already saved you the trouble of finding him a new place!  
We've got two houses, and three apartments for your friend to look at!"

Inuyasha paused, staring expectantly at Bankotsu, but he still showed no sign of thanking him for his hard work.

In fact, Bankotsu's only reply to that announcement was:

"What the hell ever..."  
After giving such a reply, Bankotsu left the kitchen, took a seat on the sofa, and flipped on the TV to a particularly loud program.

But Inuyasha wasn't finished with him just yet.  
He followed him though the kitchen, leaning over the back of the couch to glance worriedly at the complicated expression on his best friend's face.

"You all right, Bankotsu?"  
He asked, knowing the answer and frowning at the empty nod he got in reply.

Inuyasha sighed deeply, deciding that it was about time to _really_ talk to him.  
He walked over to the other side of the couch and sat casually beside his room mate.

"I saw how he made you kiss him."

Bankotsu turned to him, switching the TV off.

"He said he knew that you loved him, and then tried to force you to prove it..."  
Inuyasha continued, speaking each word as if he were stating obvious facts. "You shouldn't have to live with things that make you that uncomfortable. Even if he is your best friend."

Bankotsu's fixed gaze searched his expression, his eyes widening a bit as he realized just how confident his unknowing friend was in his accusations.

Inuyasha continued, trying not to let Bankotsu's shocked expression throw him off.  
"I'm not sure exactly what he said when he was leaned over on top of you..."  
He began, not surprised when his room mate turned away from him, embarrassed.

He pressed on, determined.  
"But I did see what he was doing with your pants, and that's all I needed to make a pretty good guess at what he wanted you to let him do..."

Bankotsu closed his eyes, sighing wearily, but Inuyasha persisted.

"You don't have to hide it from me, Bankotsu, I just want to help." Inuyasha offered him a brief smile as he finally got his companion to make eye contact with him.  
"How many times, before today, has he forced you to kiss him...  
Or touched you like that?"

Bankotsu just stared at him, not believing his ears.  
His room mate's voice, for the first time, was devoid of all but uncharacteristic tones of compassion and understanding...

Bankotsu finally replied, after standing and walking off toward the back of the house.

"Never Again."

----------------------------------------------------

Bankotsu emerged from the back of Inuyasha's car, walking to the other side and opening the opposite door for Jakotsu, who stepped out cautiously.  
He clasped Bankotsu's left hand, keeping close behind him as Kagome led them into a small white house, their third destination of the day.

The large white "For Sale" sign glinted in the sun, and Bankotsu wished it hadn't been there. This trip was going painfully slow. Inuyasha's mood had not improved at all, and Jakotsu had been acting very withdrawn throughout the day. One was overprotective and on the offensive, the other was silent and emotional.

He supposed he was lucky though, that Kagome was in a good mood, at least.  
He followed the cheerful student up to the cute little house.

The previous owner, a young girl who'd just recently graduated high school, greeted them with enthusiasm. The girl introduced herself as 'Nazuna' before leading them into the house to show them around.

Inuyasha and Kagome followed closely behind her, admiring the house.

"Oh wow..." Kagome sighed, staring around. "It's even nicer than the add described!"

"Yes," Nazuna smiled good-naturedly. "It's roomier than you'd think: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a nice little living room.  
There's plenty of room for four people to live perfectly comfortably."

"Actually, he's the only one looking..."  
Bankotsu explained, trying unsuccessfully to pull Jakotsu from behind himself.

"You'll have to forgive our friend..." He began, pretending he hadn't noticed the way Inuyasha had flinched at his use of the word 'our'.

Before continuing his explanation, he tightened his grip on his lover's hands, which were securely clasped within his own. "He's a bit emotionally..."

"Unstable." Inuyasha finished for him, inviting himself to look at the back of the house and leaving the room.

"Shaken."  
Bankotsu mumbled, wincing at the sound of Jakotsu choking on a sob behind him.  
He turned around carefully, releasing his hold on Jakotsu momentarily and placing a hand over his mouth.

He lowered his voice carefully before speaking to Jakotsu, who looked like this would definitely be the final place he could stand to go with Inuyasha today.  
"First of all: No, you are not emotionally unstable. Secondly, Inuyasha doesn't mean to be that way..." He paused until he'd received Jakotsu's understanding nod.

"And lastly, this is my favorite of the places we've visited. I know you have more than enough money to buy it, thanks to your parents, and it's closer to my college so I'll have no problem visiting."

Jakotsu cast his eyes from Bankotsu's, but he could tell he was putting a fair amount of consideration into the house.  
They stood just like that, Nazuna politely busying herself with something else to give them some necessary privacy.

"This is a strange house..."  
Kagome remarked as she and Inuyasha emerged from the back rooms.

"Oh yes..."  
Nazuna replied, tearing her eyes from the effeminate man before her whose aura, she'd noticed, pulsed with much sadness.

"It was once a shrine, belonging to my parents. But since they no longer wished for me to be a shrine maiden, they had it completely remade. But my fiancé thinks it's ruined now, having lost it's spiritual glow, so we've bought a new one."

"But it's so nice." Kagome interrupted, "Every doorframe has two bead curtains with beautiful designs! You don't even have to use the doors for privacy with authentic  
curtains like that!"

"Well yes, that's the charm of it." Nazuna laughed, "My mother bought those so that the doors wouldn't interrupt the spiritual flow. But I think they're a bit much so I left the original doors on."

(AN. For clarity, allow me to explain. Each door of the house is a traditional sliding one, but on the outside of each, covering it, two beaded curtains have been placed. These are thickly strung with intricate designs. So if you have your door open, no one can see through the beads, but spiritual energy can flow freely into your room. So you have privacy and a sense of open area, free space. It's a nice feeling, necessary for maintaining your optimum spiritual awareness. )

At that point, Nazuna turned to Bankotsu, as he was more likely to respond than Jakotsu.  
"I'll make you a deal since I don't need such worldly possessions anymore..."  
She offered, smiling at his nod and continuing her explanation.

"If your friend is willing to pay off the house entirely in about ten to twenty payments, I'll be happy to let him keep all of the furniture as well as the TV, refrigerator, the bead curtains, and my bed!"

Bankotsu smiled appreciatively, though Jakotsu didn't look as if he'd even heard the polite offer.

"He won't need the bed." Inuyasha scoffed, drawing Bankotsu's attention to himself.  
"Precious Ban-Chan is already giving him a bed; the most comfortable one in our house..."

"It's my bed and I'll do what I damn well please with it!" Bankotsu retaliated, a little louder than he'd intended.  
He was becoming more and more impatient with his best friend, and intended to make this clear to him.

"You won't need two beds in your room anyway."  
Jakotsu interrupted, Inuyasha's death glare immediately aiming at him.

"You're kidding yourself if you think he wants to share a room with _you_ anymore!"

"For your information, Bankotsu just wants to give me some space so I can spend more time with Kagome!" Inuyasha spat.

But Jakotsu held his ground, yelling right back at the younger man.  
"Cuz he couldn't stand being with both of you in one room!"

"Because I never get any privacy!"

"She doesn't want to do anything with you anyw-"

Bankotsu finally put an end to their argument by turning around and cupping Jakotsu's cheek. This completely threw him off track, a blush lighting up his pale face.  
But he regained his composure quickly, and used the opportunity to steal a wet, red kiss from Bankotsu.

Kagome clasped a hand in Inuyasha's, just in time to stop him from rushing at the two of them. And he didn't stop struggling in her hold until Jakotsu had pulled away and returned to his hiding place behind his 'best friend'.

"I take it back..." He clenched his teeth as Bankotsu turned back to him, wiping the lipstick from his lips.

"A bed in different rooms means less possibility of visitors getting molest-"

"Yes, I'm sure he'll make good use of both beds" Nazuna interjected helpfully,  
"Everyone needs a guest bedroom right?"

Bankotsu gave the younger girl a thankful smile before bowing apologetically.  
He then turned to Jakotsu, who barely raised his head so that their eyes met.

"I'll be spending a lot of time visiting Jakotsu anyway, an extra bed would be nice. If Jakotsu is willing to buy the house, of course..."

Jakotsu nodded gently before taking a seat on the nearby sofa, his face in his hands.

"He doesn't like the idea of living without me." Bankotsu sighed, sitting with Nazuna at the kitchen table, where she'd already lain out her share of the required paperwork. "We've been inseparable since middle school..."

"He doesn't like much, as a matter of fact, except fellow deadly animals and his 'Ban-Chan'." Inuyasha stated, glaring his disapproval at Kagome as she sat next to Jakotsu, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Sign here I think", she instructed.

You're blind, yet think you see

Deaf, yet you hear so much

Lost, yet know a way to go

And when you turn around  
when you realize what you've done

who you've hurt and destroyed

Time will have passed you by  
the real world moved on

You'll see little boy

the monster you've become


	16. A Picture

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as today is her birthday. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again**

**Chapter Sixteen: A Picture; Worth A Thousand Words, Filled with A Thousand Instances of Heartache**

Bankotsu stepped into Jakotsu's soon-to-be-former-bedroom, carelessly tossing a box he'd packed onto the ground, awakening his soon-to-be-former-roommate with a start.

Jakotsu barely turned to look at him before burying his head back into his pillow to try to avoid the sunlight that had been pouring in through the window for hours.

"Wake up, my love," Bankotsu sighed, plopping down on the bed next to him and rolling over so that he lay partially atop his lover, with his head resting on his back.  
He absently toyed with a few strands of Jakotsu's loose black hair as he began whispering a warning to him, just as he'd done countless times to Inuyasha.

"You know... Anyone could just walk in and see us like th-"

Jakotsu cut him off with a deep kiss, his tongue sliding quickly into his love's mouth as he wrapped his arms skillfully around his neck.  
Bankotsu kissed him back eagerly, thoroughly enjoying the taste and feel of his kiss, and knowing that he'd have to be seperated from him for a long time after that day.

But after a few minutes, the euphoria subsided a bit, and Bankotsu regained his ability to think straight. (No pun intended!)  
Just in time too, for Jakotsu had already rolled himself atop his lover and had also succeeded in unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans.

Bankotsu rolled onto his side, pulling his arms up between himself and Jakotsu, breaking their kiss with great difficulty.

"Damn!" Bankotsu nearly choked, as Jakotsu grinned sinisterly at him.  
Mere seconds later, he found himself pinned beneath Jakotsu once more, but it appeared he'd gotten back a bit of his sense as well.

"Sorry about that."  
Jakotsu apologized, with a slight grin. "I don't know what came over me..."  
He pulled back a little to allow Bankotsu to catch his breath.

"I think I know..." Bankotsu replied, gazing up into his lover's dark, lust-filled eyes.

As he realized that Jakotsu had intended to go _much_ farther than he'd been able to, he was struck with the urge to question him, unable to keep a slight tinge of anger from his voice.

"What the fuck Jakotsu?" Bankotsu mumbled, sitting up as Jakotsu pulled back to give him a little more space. "I have never seen you get_ that_ turned on _that_ fast!"  
He shook his head, the frustration disappearing as he realized what he'd just said; the irony of Jakotsu jumping him at such a bad time, after ignoring him all last night while they'd been perfectly alone, caused his eye to twitch.

Bankotsu turned to give his frustrating lover an exasperated smile and received a nasty shock when he met his eyes; which were not only suddenly devoid of any trace of lust, but brimming with tears.

Bankotsu's first instinct advised him to embrace him, but currently, Jakotsu was shrinking farther from him, drawing his hands away as if he feared they would somehow hurt him.

Memories of the last disastrous time that Jakotsu had pinned his lover in that fashion raced through his head, along with every comment Inuyasha had made about him.

"I'm so sorry." Jakotsu whispered breathlessly.  
An air of panic rose in him as he spoke again, looking over his lover to ensure that he hadn't injured him in any way.

"I didn't mean to force you into anything... I just missed being able to kiss you like that..."  
He shook his head frantically before stating his last thought.

"I'm not emotionally unstable."

At these words, Bankotsu allowed himself to act on his earlier instinctual notion, wrapping his arms around Jakotsu and pulling him securely to himself.  
"I know you're not. And no, you weren't forcing me into anything..." he whispered soothingly. "You just surprised me..."

Jakotsu said nothing, sobbing miserably against his chest.

"I didn't mean to call you that…" Bankotsu whispered, "I'm sorry Aisuru."  
Jakotsu calmed considerably as he snuggled into his embrace and Bankotsu waited for his breathing to slow to a more normal rate before continuing. Then he voiced the question he'd wanted, stroking his love's back.

"Are you allright now?" he whispered, planting a kiss on his head.

"Hmm, my love?"

Jakotsu nodded, his lover's sweet words having calmed him.  
"Mm-hmm."

Bankotsu smiled, releasing his hold on him so he could kiss him.  
Jakotsu lay back, his arms wrapped loosely around his neck as he returned the loving gesture.

When Bankotsu pulled away, he laughed as he noticed that Jakotsu's eyes had, once again, glazed over with lust.  
"You know we can't do anything." he sighed, kissing his lover again when he nodded in agreement. "But then why'd you…"

He paused, not knowing how to ask in a way that wouldn't sound horribly blunt.  
His mind urged him to finish with, _'Jump me like that!' _but he thought better of it.

"I mean, I saw Inuyasha and Kagome in the living room. Surely you knew they were in the house..."

Jakotsu read into his words, absently stroking his hair.  
"Yeah, I knew. They loaded everything into the truck for me."  
He indicated his nearly empty room, before continuing.

"I figured you'd just lock the door and warn me to keep quiet... Like last time."

Bankotsu colored slightly at the mention of 'last time', but shook his embarrassment off as he noticed just how unabashed Jakotsu appeared to be.

"That was different though..." he sighed, relieved to find that Jakotsu had calmed down so well. "Last time Inuyasha had gone grocery shopping, which I knew would take at least two hours. _And_ we were in my bed, which doesn't squeak. So even if he'd come back earlier than anticipated, he wouldn't have heard anything..."

Jakotsu sat up on his lap, giving him a positively wicked smile.  
"We could always just set some blankets down and do it on the ground..." He suggested, making a tremendous effort to stay mischievously serious-looking as Bankotsu's cheeks colored a bit more.

"Yeah, too bad we have some self control and self respect..." Bankotsu sighed.

But that didn't sway Jakotsu's determination, and he made another suggestion.

"We could always get drunk... Or you know, I'd bet you could hold me up against the wall for a fair amount of time..."

"Or we could just lock ourselves in the bathroom," Bankotsu retorted, recovering from his embarrassment quickly as he decided to play along. "Take a nice hot bubble bath…"

Jakotsu did not color as he had, choosing instead to let up his seriousness and replace it with a lighthearted smile.

Bankotsu's spirit lifted as his love embraced him again, snuggling closer to him.  
They reveled in each other's touch for a few moments, finally able to remember why it was they had fallen in love so very long ago.

Memories of their sweet teenage years drifted through each lover's mind: innocence and freedom they'd lost, sneaking out, childish embarrassment, short love notes that made their hearts soar and the butterflies in their stomachs flutter wildly, and gentle kisses on the nose, forehead, cheeks, and hands.

They were high school sweethearts in the most embarrassingly enjoyable way.  
That was, until their senior prom... Two long years later, and here they sat, reunited and just as in love as the day they'd first dared to utter the three words that'd changed their lives forever.

Bankotsu's eyes slid open, allowing his more pleasant memories to wash over him as he admired his one and only love.  
He held Jakotsu's face in his hands, pulling him from his own memory.

Bankotsu leaned up closer to him until their noses touched and whispered,  
"I love you so much..."

Jakotsu held in a childish giggle, sitting up and releasing him.  
He then hopped down from the bed, sat comfortably on the ground, and motioned for Bankotsu to join him.

Bankotsu eyed him suspiciously, their earlier discussion returning to his mind.

Against his better judgment, he silently obeyed, sitting on the ground beside Jakotsu, who wasted no time in regaining his favorite, and most comfortable place to sit; on his lover's lap. He pressed his lips feverishly to Bankotsu's, making a noticeably difficult effort to refrain from doing anything else.

And then he pulled back slightly in order to question Bankotsu.  
"So why'd you come in here... Teasing me like this?"

His love chuckled, indicating the box he'd brought in earlier.  
"To give you a few going away presents. Just things I'd like you to keep..."

Jakotsu's eyes scanned over the box before returning to gaze at his lover.  
"You know what you could do to give me the best going away present ever?"  
He asked, gently pushing on his lover's chest to get him to lie down flat.

Bankotsu shook his head in response as Jakotsu settled himself on top of him.  
"You could..." He began, tracing a hand down his lover's chest.  
"Roll over, slide that tight, hot ass of yours out of those jeans, and let me fu-"

Jakotsu froze, the color draining right out of his face as the door to his room opened, admitting a young, black-haired girl who, upon spotting them, bowed quickly in apology.

"I'm so very sorry!" she muttered through her hands which had shot up, almost immediately, to cover her eyes.

Jakotsu stared at her for a moment before returning his attention to Bankotsu.  
"-ck you like an animal." he finished, causing the man beneath him to blush furiously.

Jakotsu turned back to the confused girl, whose shocked expression had twisted into one of pure horror, and asked her what she wanted.  
After putting tremendous effort into collecting herself, the girl took another, deeper bow, introducing herself as Ayumi, a friend of Kagome's.  
She explained that she was supposed to be double-checking to ensure that all of the stuff in the room had been loaded into the moving van.

Jakotsu indicated a box of CDs beside the door, which Ayumi scooped up and ran off with, before leaning down to give Bankotsu a gentle kiss.

Bankotsu sat up, returning the kiss very briefly before he pulled back, breaking it with an unmistakable air of regret.

"Judging by the look of terror on her face..." He began, taking a quick glance at the door.  
"She heard exactly what you said. And we've got about five minutes to move before Inuyasha comes in here..."

---------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------

Sure enough, barely three minutes later, Inuyasha stepped silently into the room, glaring at Jakotsu and Bankotsu, who were then sitting side by side on the bed, Jakotsutou stretched across their legs. Bankotsu looked up from petting the snake only momentarily before returning his gaze to the dark grey and black python.

"Spill it, Bankotsu."  
Inuyasha instructed, carefully keeping the air of threatening from his voice.

"Spill what?" Bankotsu asked innocently, dangling a dead mouse in Jakotsutou's face.  
Inuyasha frowned lightly as his glare met Jakotsu's face, lingering on his infuriatingly innocent expression before he tore his eyes away, walking silently over to Bankotsu.

He bent down, whispering something hurriedly in his ear before standing back up straight and strolling back over to the door.

Jakotsu looked from Inuyasha's smug expression to Bankotsu, whose innocent smile had faltered a bit, but before he got the chance to question him, Bankotsu had stood and followed Inuyasha into the hallway.

"Put Jakotsutou, his cage, and the dry-deck into the van. Do not open that box I gave you, but do be careful while moving it..."  
He instructed, before closing the door and following after Inuyasha.

Inuyasha led Bankotsu into their own room, closing and locking the door behind them.

"What is this all about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as Inuyasha lifted up the top mattress of his bed, apparently looking for something.

Inuyasha extracted what looked like an elegantly embroidered, miniature photo album, and held it out to him.

Bankotsu eyed the album suspiciously, almost afraid to touch it.  
He wasn't sure what to think of it, and when Inuyasha flipped it over to reveal the label on what was apparently the front, it only served to further confuse him.

His own name was written in elegant, almost familiar handwriting across the cover.

Intrigued, he reached for the album, only to have it yanked from his reach by Inuyasha, who offered Bankotsu a smile before sitting down on his own bed.

"First, why don't you tell me what Jakotsu said to you while he had you straddled on his bedroom floor?"  
Inuyasha requested, his smile widening at Bankotsu's look of surprise.

"Ayumi told us what he was doing when she walked in, but froze in the middle of telling us about something 'horribly vulgar' that Jakotsu had said to you."  
He explained, giving the album a little shake.

Bankotsu sat silently on his own bed, his gaze moving from the album to his room mate's face.  
Their eyes met briefly, but he turned his head quickly, bringing his hands up to cover his slightly coloring cheeks.

"He was just kidding around with me, something of a ga-"

Inuyasha cut him off with a scoff. "From what I heard, it wasn't a very pleasant game."

Bankotsu sighed into his palms, bowing his head slightly.  
"He was just letting me know..." He began, thinking quickly, yet speaking slowly.  
"What one of his friends thought about Jakotsutou..."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.  
"And what did this friend of his think of Jakotsutou?" He asked, urging Bankotsu to continue.

"That it would make a decent dildo and..." He trailed off, snorting slightly as he pressed his hands more securely to his mouth to stifle his laughter.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at his taste in jokes, giving him a look of deep disapproval.

Bankotsu calmed himself quickly, falling silent before muttering, "Hey, you asked..."

Only slightly satisfied with what he'd learned, Inuyasha held the album out to him rather reluctantly.  
"I thought you should see this since I found it under the bed of your most trusted friend." He explained, dropping it into his awaiting hands.

Bankotsu's eyes scanned over the little black book, suddenly afraid of what it might hold.  
He raised his head, meeting Inuyasha's eyes to question him.

"It's not like, porno or anything, is it?"

Inuyasha's grin returned as he folded his arms, his amused gaze falling on the album.  
"Not porn, no, but it is a bit more than I wanted to see..."

Bankotsu's eyes returned to the album as he, with shaking hands, flipped open the front cover.  
His eyes widened considerably, his breath frozen in his lungs as he flipped through over 20 pages of identical pictures.

He snapped the little book shut, dropping it to the ground as if it had burned his fingers, and then raised his hands back to his face, this time covering his eyes as well.

Inuyasha lifted the album from the ground, ignoring the single photo that had fallen from its pages as he leafed through it, looking for a particular photo.  
Bankotsu however, reached down and hurriedly picked up the photo, holding it securely to his chest.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at this, but decided that it was more important that he make his views known.  
"Well first of all, you can't deny now, that he's got something for you; something obsessive, demented... Wrong..."

Bankotsu gazed at the picture in his hands, a younger version of himself gazing back as he sat on the side of an unfamiliar bathtub.  
Thankfully, only the upper portion of his torso was visible, his long wet hair obscuring the area below his stomach as his photographed self brushed it out.

His younger self looked only slightly timid at being photographed in such an awkward position, and Bankotsu knew exactly why...

-----------

_His then eighteen-year-old lover was kneeled on the bathroom floor, coaxing him into smiling for the camera.  
Bankotsu had never been able to deny him a simple photograph, so he offered him a gentle smile, his cheeks burning slightly with embarassment. _

_Jakotsu had taken the picture, then lowered the camera, admiring the sheer beauty of his young love, whose blush deepened as he lowered himself back into the bathtub. Jakotsu then crawled over to him and leaned over the side of the tub, placing his hands on his shoulders before planting a gentle kiss on his bare forehead._

_It did not yet hold the familiar tattoo that he later had done for the sole purpose of pleasing the man he loved..._

_----------------_

Inuyasha looked up as Bankotsu flipped the picture over, reading the writing on the back of it, which he recognized now, as Jakotsu's.  
"So how old were you in that picture?" He asked, interrupting Bankotsu's trip down memory lane.

Bankotsu did the simple math before informing him that he'd been merely fifteen years old when the photo had been taken.  
"Figures..." Inuyasha mumbled, continuing to look through the album as his room mate's discomfort rose steadily.

"Disgusting pedophile..."

Bankotsu pretended he hadn't heard those words, returning the picture to its safe place against his stomach.  
"Can I ask, why you posed for these? Is he the one taking these or-"

"No, I took _all _of these myself." Bankotsu lied. "I used to be in this photography class... And my teacher always made us pose like that..."

"Was she a pedophile too?"

"No, she just insisted that the _best_ type of pictures were taken in a 'decent state of nudity'."

"Oh!" Inuyasha sighed, suddenly understanding. "That theory again? I've had about three professors who told me the same thing."  
Bankotsu smiled, thanking the heavens that he'd taken a semester of photography in high school.

"You gave these to him?"

"Well..." bankotsu mumbled, coming up with a reply. "I told him a while ago, before he left for the institution, that he was always welcome to take any of the pictures I had in my albums... So he wouldn't feel so alone..."

"Gee whizz, that was so smart of you!" Inuyasha laughed coldly. "And you probably never even stopped to think what he'd do with them?.. Semi-nude photos... Under his bed..."

"I like my friends to have what they want okay?" Bankotsu scoffed.  
"I'd let you do whatever you wanted with any of my shit, as long as it made you happy..."

"Well I'm sure you made your precious Queerio _quite_ happy with your damn nudity theorum photos..." Inuyasha mumbled.  
"If you ask me, that theory shouldn't be tested so much anyway... Except on hot girls..." He smirked, continuing to rifle through the pages of the album.  
"But then it wouldn't be fair to all the queers of the world now would it? Oh! Here we go!"

Inuyasha found what he had been looking for, carefully sliding two photos from the album out and holding them up for Bankotsu to see.

Bankotsu took a quick glance at the two pictures before averting his eyes.

Inuyasha indicated the picture on his left, which was perfectly preserved.  
"This one was taken, as the date clearly says, seven years ago, when you were thirteen."

He then held up the right photo, which was in the same condition.  
"And this one was taken just recently, and in the very bed you are sitting on right now..."

He slid the pictures back in place and tossed the album onto the bed next to Bankotsu.

"Seven years." he stated, trying to get Bankotsu to look him in the eye.  
"Tell me you did not know that this guy has been obsessing over you for _seven years_, Bankotsu.  
He's been stealing these pictures from you since back when you were only a chi-."

"I was not a child!" Bankotsu cut him off, glaring resentfully at his room mate as he pulled the photo album into his lap.  
The words rang in his ears just as they had so many years before, when his mother had realized just how deeply he'd fallen in love with his best friend, who'd crossed over the threshold of manhood three years before Bankotsu would.

----------------

_"You're a child! He's an adult!" _

_Fifteen to eighteen; to Bankotsu, it was merely three years of difference._

_But to his parents and to the law, it was three years too many. Three years in which his love could not dare touch him around anyone else, three years of secrecy, and three years in which his guardians intended to keep him as far away from Jakotsu as possible._

_But it turned out to be three years that would go exactly as Bankotsu wished, whether they liked it or not, because his love was anything but one-sided... _

_An unfamiliar bathtub, of one of the many hotels or apartments he'd stayed in once Jakotsu had come back from the institution and taken him away from his 'home', where their love was unwelcome. _

_----------------_

Inuyasha gave Bankotsu a stern look, his eyes narrowing.  
"Don't even try protecting him." he demanded, completely misinterpreting Bankotsu's reaction, but still making it clear that he wasn't going to argue.  
"Of all the pictures in that album, whether you're adult or teenaged, every one of them was taken while you were...  
In a state of obvious undress!"

Bankotsu nodded lightly, keeping the album firmly shut in his lap.  
"But... They're not indecent or anything. I mean, it's nothing below my waist..."

"No, he probably keeps those kinds of pictures somewhere else... Under the bed? Too obvious..."  
Inuyasha nodded, quite sure of himself, before getting to the point.

"Anyway, I wanted you to see this so that you'd know a little more about what your 'best, most trustworthy friend' a.k.a your stalker, has been up to."

"That my friend..." He gestured toward the album.  
"Is undeniable proof that you are definitely an object of his lust. Whatever sick pleasure he gets from collecting those pictures of you is definitely beyond the innocent meaning of the word 'friendship'".

Bankotsu gazed at him for a minute before offering him a gentle smile which contained his deepest regret.  
He stood from his bed, leaving the single photo on the mattress but holding the album firmly in his hands.

"It's a real shame, though I already knew what you've just told me." he confessed in reply to Inuyasha's statement.  
"I told you before that Jakotsu loved me, and I didn't mean it in a friendly way like you might've thought..."

Inuyasha's eyes widened a bit, his suspicion finally confirmed. "You knew..."  
But Bankotsu merely bowed his head, continuing in a voice that was almost as remorseful as he truly felt.  
"But it doesn't matter anymore. He's moving now, so-"

Inuyasha interrupted him with a sudden word of caution.  
"Then you'll understand why I think this; you shouldn't go there alone, to his new place."

Bankotsu stared at him silently, hoping he wasn't going to say what he thought he would.  
But he did, "It's probably exactly what he wants, the perfect opportunity to jump you again. So if..."

Inuyasha stopped, a little shocked by the speed at which Bankotsu's expression had changed.  
He raised an eyebrow as his eyes met his roommate's startling glare.

Bankotsu took a step closer to him, taking note of his companion's slight flinch as he leaned closer to him, pausing just before their noses touched.

He spoke quietly and clearly, an air of threat entering his voice.  
"I will tell you this Inuyasha, and you had better listen now because I'm not going to say it again..."

Inuyasha nodded slightly, taking extreme care to avoid touching his now dangerously angered roommate.

"Jakotsu is not going to hurt me. He never had before coming here, and the only time he did was entirely your fau-"

A loud shriek echoed down the hallway, effectively distracting Bankotsu, who turned to glare momentarily at the door.

In the moment of silence that followed that interruption, he turned back to Inuyasha, only to have his last words drowned out by a sudden series of multiple screams, this time coming from multiple people.

To his annoyance, Inuyasha recognized his girlfriend's voice and stood immediately, hurrying to the front of the house.  
Bankotsu almost followed after him, setting the album on his bed with an exasperated sigh.

He flipped it back open, extracting one of the oldest pictures within it.  
This one had been taken when he was thirteen, and had been taken by none other than Bankotsu himself.

His younger self sat nude on his bed, his arms wrapped tightly around a stuffed bear which rested in his lap.  
Tears were clearly visible in his slightly reddened eyes, and despite tremendous effort, he had not found himself able to smile for the camera.

He flipped it over and read what was written on the back in his own handwriting.

"For my one and only love, I'm missing you already."

He frowned slightly, his fingers tracing the date as he realized that this had been merely two days after Jakotsu had been taken into custody.  
He'd known even then that it would be years before they would meet again, and that his love would never be the same...

(AN. He has the answers; only he can know

but they have questions  
about emotions he never meant to show

The painful past, he'll forever more hide

it is his heart's ache  
and will tear him apart, from inside )


	17. Coaxing a Snake

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as today is her birthday. Only she could inspire something this weird... So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again**

**Chapter Seventeen: Coaxing a Snake; Persuading the Most Deadly, Seductive Animal:  
A Skill Only Bankotsu Possesses**

Bankotsu returned the precious photo to the safety of the album, sighing in annoyance as yet another shriek issued from the front of the house.

He flipped through each page of familiar photos, each one reawakening a memory he had long since put to sleep. One year ago, two years ago, five… All merely time frames, giving numbers to events, but in reality it was all the same.  
Each one pictured a time in which he had been in love with Jakotsu.

In truth, he could barely remember a time when he hadn't longed to be in the arms of the love of his life. He had been merely twelve, after all, when he'd realized it, though it took him a while to admit it…

For so long Bankotsu had covered up the truth, had so many best friends and even family members who'd never known him half as well as they believed.

Why then, was Inuyasha's misconception of him so unsettling? After having his former best friend, Hiten, literally try to kill Jakotsu, why did it upset Bankotsu so when Inuyasha merely tried to keep Jakotsu and himself separated?

Perhaps, without realizing it, he had harbored the hope that Inuyasha would be the one, the last. The friend he could trust to know who he truly was.  
Maybe the feeling that made Bankotsu so angry with Inuyasha was that of bitter disappointment…

Maybe he'd expected better of Inuyasha since he was the one to agree to Jakotsu living with them, even while knowing of his sexual preference…

It had seemed, to Bankotsu, as if he even approved of Jakotsu's way of life.

What a thing to assume!  
If only his mind hadn't been clouded by excitement and love…

Bankotsu's longing for his true love had made him blind, and was perhaps doing so even now.

If this was true, and it seemed to be, then Bankotsu had been treating his best friend very unfairly. Inuyasha merely wanted the best for him…

Another shriek echoed through the house, and Bankotsu clapped his hands over his ears, eyes burning with confusion of possibilities.

He tried to sort them out, but found it impossible, as the noises coming from the front of the house had become too distracting.

He put the album on the ground and left the room reluctantly, wondering why the hell Inuyasha hadn't been able to calm his own girlfriend by then.

However; the sight that awaited him in the living room knocked his train of thought completely off track, and changed his mood from annoyance to near panic-stricken worry.

It seemed that once again, Jakotsu's precious pet was attempting to eat what it should not…

Ayumi and two other girls he didn't recognize were standing on the couch, trying to put as much distance as possible between themselves and Kagome, who was lying on the carpet writhing around in pain, her entire right hand having been swallowed by Jakotsutou.

Bankotsu hurried over to her, pushing past Inuyasha, who was sitting next to Kagome in a state of horrified shock. He first tried to coax the snake into opening it's mouth, imitating the familiar kissing noise that Jakotsu often used to calm it, then resorted to trying to pry its mouth open with his bare hands.

"Jakotsutou sweetie... Please stop trying to eat my friend…"

Bankotsu continued to sweet talk the determined python, straining to loosen its grip on Kagome's hand. His presence succeeded in stopping Jakotsutou from swallowing any more, but it still refused to release its prey.

After a few minutes, Bankotsu withdrew his left hand, which was then covered in blood; not his own, but Kagome's.  
He carefully left his right hand in Jakotsutou's mouth in order to prevent it from swallowing any more, and turned, wondering why the owner of the snake wasn't in the room.

"Damn it Ja-" He slapped his forehead, accidentally smudging blood on his own face as he turned and stated the obvious to Inuyasha. "We need Jakotsu"

Inuyasha nodded feverishly before running to the back of the house to find him.  
He called out his new nickname, Queerio, and to his deep dismay, heard Jakotsu's reply of "Fuck off!" from the interior of the bathroom.

Inuyasha hurried over to the bathroom door, not even daring to touch the handle.  
"Get out here rainbow boy, we need your help!" he called through the door, hearing, in reply, an unmistakably disgusted scoff from the man within.

Jakotsu set down his razor, dunked his head into the hot water around him, and resurfaced with thoroughly washed and conditioned hair before he bothered to reply. "And what, pray tell, could you possibly need me for, dog boy?"

"You have to pry your evil spawn off of..." He paused, quickly deciding not to tell him that his snake was attempting to eat his worst enemy's most precious friend.  
"One of Kagome's friends!"

"Do it your own damn self, just stick your hand under his top jaw and tell the little piece of filth to pull."  
He smiled wickedly, amusedly squeezing the nearest rubber duck and watching it blow bubbles.

"Bankotsu has already tried that!" Inuyasha said, an idea hitting him. "Don't you want to come and make sure he doesn't get hurt trying to help?"

"Hmm… Nah." Jakotsu said, playing with his ducks. "My Jakotsutou wouldn't hurt his daddy. Even though he likes his taste even more than I do…"

Inuyasha stopped himself just before a frustrated growl escaped him, clearly growing more and more impatient.

Jakotsu however, was perfectly content with letting his roommate freak out while he soaked in a tub of steaming bath water, surrounded by adorable rubber ducks."That's what those stupid pieces of filth get for having such big mouths..."

Inuyasha's anger flared up immediately and he raised his voice even more, a threatening air entering his tone.  
"If you don't get your useless queer ass out here right now, I swear I will ram this door right off of its hinges and drag you out!"

"I'm sure you would." Jakotsu chuckled, squeezing the duck once more.  
"You, of all people, would just _love _to see my sexy, _bare_, queer ass."

Inuyasha scoffed.  
"No actually I wouldn't. I don't know where it's been after all. Or, more importantly, what's been in it..."

"Oh ouch," Jakotsu replied. "Verbally abusing poor little me like that? Aren't you just the most wicked, dirty, dirty boy?"  
He fake pouted, thoroughly enjoying Inuyasha's state of panicked rage.  
"I think you should come in here so I can clean out that dirty mouth of yours..."

"Go screw yourself!" Inuyasha raged.

"Oh, now what fun would that be?" Jakotsu pouted.  
"I'll tell you what... If you amuse me a bit more I may give helping you a little more consideration..."

Jakotsu's almost maniacal laughter echoed around the small room and Inuyasha glared hard at the door.  
This clearly was not the reaction he'd wanted...

"Or maybe I should open the door for you so you could _physically_ amuse me instead?"

Inuyasha took a quick step back, utterly appalled by this suggestion.  
He shook it off however, focusing on his anger so that the sexual innuendo laced within Jakotsu's sweet words wouldn't affect him.

"Aww what's the matter puppy boy? Run out of comebacks?" Jakotsu teased,  
"Or have you just given up? Are you gonna just lie back and accept it now, like a good little bitch?"

"I am not playing with you, you sick son of a bitch! Get out of that damn tub right fuc-" Inuyasha was interrupted by the appearance of Bankotsu, who shoved his distracted, panic-stricken friend out of the way with little effort.

Putting a hand on either of Inuyasha's shoulders, he held him still, trying to calm him down.

"I hate him so much- I swear to fucking g- I will kill that stupid fa-"

"Stop it!" Bankotsu whispered, giving him a little shake. "Just please, calm down Inuyasha. Raising your voice is not going to do anything to help your poor girlfriend, who by the way, is still being eaten alive because _you_ don't know how to respectfully reason with a guy you've lived with for months!"

"It Hasn't been that long…" Inuyasha muttered. "And it'd help if he didn't hate my guts you know."

"Well you made him that way!"

"I never did anything but try to protect you!"

"How the hell does calling someone 'emotionally unstable' help to protect anyone?"

"Well he is…"

"No he isn't, and you did it out of spite. That's the point." Bankotsu shushed Inuyasha before he had a chance to argue further.

"Just… Let me see if I can talk to him, okay?"

"Why the hell would I stop you?" Inuyasha, suddenly too confused to be angry.

"Because I-" Bankotsu stopped, a hand on the bathroom door. "I might have to do something a little… queer… to get him to cooperate with us.'

"Oh god." Inuyasha put his face in his hands, shaking his head.

"It's fine. No big deal. All Jakotsu needs is for someone to be sweet to him." Bankotsu promised. He then turned his full attention to the task ahead of him.  
He cracked the door, unsurprised that it was unlocked, and requested Jakotsu's permission before sliding it open.

"Does my Ban-Chan wish to join me?" Jakotsu called in a sing-song voice.  
"Does he wish to make sweet love to me on the bathroom floor?"

Bankotsu allowed himself a light laugh, silently debating on whether or not to scold him before shrugging his internal argument off, replying with a sweetly sincere,  
"Of course he does."

Inuyasha stood frozen, shocked by Bankotsu's bravery as he slipped into the bathroom, closing and locking the door securely behind himself.  
He took another step away from the door as the sound of sloshing water told him just how awkward a situation his poor roommate must have found himself in.

Inuyasha was very much mistaken however, because on the other side of that door, Bankotsu was enjoying a deep, intimate kiss with the love of his life, whose arms were then wrapped securely around his neck...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(AN. Fair warning. It's time for a fluffy break in plot! Some sweet shounenai loveliness! Yaoi lime ahead! If you're not a fan of it, please skip ahead to the next dotted line. If you are, please read slowly and enjoy! )

Jakotsu took his sweet time with their kiss, moaning quietly into his love's mouth as Bankotsu wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him closer to himself while being careful to avoid contact with his dry jeans.

Bankotsu pulled his head back a bit, breaking their kiss after what seemed, to Jakotsu, to be a terribly short time.

"You need to get out of here and help us Aisuru. This is important…"

Jakotsu released Bankotsu's neck but moved quickly to wrap his arms around his lover's waist instead.  
"Just a little longer..." He pleaded, his eyes meeting Bankotsu's with an amazing amount of sincerity. "I'll help Inuyasha's filthy friend, I promise…"

But Bankotsu could already see the unmistakable sheen of lust in his love's inky black gaze.

He could tell that Jakotsu wasn't _too_ sexually aroused, but lately it had become dangerously simple to excite him, since Inuyasha was purposely spending so much time at home to limit Jakotsu's chances of catching his object of lust alone.

Jakotsu read right into what Bankotsu was thinking, and just as his love's hold loosened on his sides, he leaned closer and made him an offer he knew he could not refuse.

"I'll help Inuyasha and refuse to argue with him for the rest of the week..."

A frown tugged slightly on Bankotsu's lips, but he brushed it off, regaining his secure hold on his love's hips.

Jakotsu took this as a sign of approval, pulling him into a closer embrace before resting his chin on his shoulder.  
He planted a wet kiss on the left, unwounded side of his love's neck and flicked his tongue out as if testing it before his mouth closed over the soft flesh there.

"Inuyasha's out there… A few, _silent_ minutes, all right?" Bankotsu whispered, holding his sweetheart close.

Jakotsu moaned in agreement, enjoying his taste, his hands wandering along his love's body.

Bankotsu closed his eyes, allowing himself to enjoy the gentle movement of his companion's tongue against his neck.  
Not paying much attention to his own hands, Bankotsu absently pressed his fingers more firmly against the hot skin beneath them, moving his hands with them in a slow, circular motion, a sensual massage he'd given Jakotsu many times before.

This time however, the familiar sensation caused Jakotsu to completely lose track of what he'd intended to do.

He removed his mouth from Bankotsu's neck and rested his head on his shoulder, biting back another moan as his lover's hands shifted slightly, massaging a bit lower before their owner began to drag them upward.

Bankotsu slid his hands up Jakotsu's sides, his fingers barely ghosting over the edges of his ribcage as a chill ran up his love's spine, causing him to shiver slightly. But momentarily, Bankotsu became aware of the almost fully drained tub of water at his feet and pulled his hands back to himself, only to have Jakotsu catch them in his own.

"I'm not cold," he assured his worried companion. "Don't stop yet..."

Jakotsu's eyes did not come up to meet Bankotsu's as he led his right hand back to its earlier position on his hip, this time resting his own hand atop it.

He then lifted Bankotsu's left hand to his own lips, running his tongue across the tips of his fingers before popping two of them into his mouth.  
Jakotsu began to suck gently on these fingers, causing his lover's eyes to screw shut, each gentle tug sending waves of pleasure rippling through his body.

Bankotsu absently resumed his gentle massage against Jakotsu's hip, not knowing just how much pleasure he took from the light contact.

Jakotsu pressed his love's hand more firmly to himself, guiding it lower still so that it now rested on his thigh.  
He closed his eyes tightly as his companion's silent moans became barely audible, causing the dull ache in his own body to intensify.

He was consciously aware that his entire being yearned for nothing but his lover's gentle caress. But unfortunately, only a small portion of him could receive it.

The resonating waves of stiff longing flowed throughout Jakotsu's abnormally warm body, pooling in the one place he wished for them not to: the very same place he was silently guiding his companion's hand toward.

But Bankotsu's hand stopped just short of its destination, its owner finally returning to his senses as a familiar scream echoed throughout the house.

"Gah, damn it Jakotsu!"  
He gasped, realizing how quickly and smoothly his lover had acted in order to get him into such a seduced state.

Jakotsu whimpered, not bothering to keep his voice down. "Ban-Chan…"  
He whined, leaning into him and planting many kisses along his neck and on his cheeks.

Bankotsu took a quick step away from Jakotsu, pulling his hands back to himself with great difficulty, but his lover kept his arms around him, not allowing him to step far from him.

Bankotsu turned around to get his wet lover a towel, a frustrated sigh escaped him as he felt Jakotsu step out of the bath tub and lean into him from behind.

"Don't do this to me Aisuru..." Bankotsu pleaded, turning around and wrapping the towel securely around him.  
Their eyes met, Jakotsu's half-lidded and still filled with pleasure.

"It's torture, really..." Bankotsu sighed.

"It's what you deserve, _my _Ban-Chan." Jakotsu mumbled, turning him back around, and pulling him closer still.  
"Staying with a homophobe… What an awful idea-What a stupid plan- And you call yourself the tortured one?"

He pressed his painfully stiff manhood against his love's back, and Bankotsu closed his eyes, a sorrowful sigh escaping him.

"I still love you though…" Jakotsu assured him, backing off.  
Bankotsu turned quickly, catching his hands in his own. "I'll make it up to you." he promised,. "As soon as your new room is settled, and this'll be the perfect time because Inuyasha's distracted with this whole Jakotsutou ordeal…"

Jakotsu nodded doubtfully, moving away from him and beginning to pull on the change of clothes he'd set out for himself on the bathroom counter.

"But I'm still going to make Inuyasha suffer…" He said, pulling his shirt on as Bankotsu slid the door open for him.  
He followed after him, only to be stopped in the hallway by Inuyasha, who hurriedly apologized for making him  
'face the terror of a naked queer'.

After reminding Inuyasha that first of all; queer was an adjective, not a noun, and secondly, that he'd attended high school and two years of physical education with said naked 'queer', Bankotsu tried to continue on his way, but Jakotsu had frozen in place.

He wheeled around, glaring daggers at Inuyasha.

"Well I mean it was my fault, anything could've happened to him…" The dog boy explained, shrugging.

Bankotsu turned back toward Inuyasha to argue, but was cut off by the man behind himself.

"You mean something like this?"  
Jakotsu wasted no time in reattaching himself to his lover, his arms wrapped securely around him as he began planting many kisses on his face and neck.

"Aisuru…" Bankotsu sighed, stepping forward and merely dragging him along.

Inuyasha jumped away from them as if avoiding a potentially deadly animal.

"Hold on, Ban-Chan." Jakotsu giggled, practically crawling up onto his back as he continued to trail a ridiculous amount of kisses along whichever part of his body his lips met. "I want… Nine thousand nine hundred and seventy-four more kisses." He said, planting a particularly loud, wet one on him as he spoke.

"Then I'll go get my baby off of Dogboy's filthy friend…"

Bankotsu blushed furiously as Jakotsu closed his mouth over the side of his neck, beginning to moan loudly. "Sweetie ple-"

"Mmmm-mwah!"

As his 'Sweetie' finally released his neck, Bankotsu again tried to talk to him.  
"We don't have time for this Aisuru…"

"Pythons eat slow!" Jakotsu scoffed.  
"Nine thousand, nine hundred and fifty-eight …"

Bankotsu held a hand out to keep his enraged best friend from launching himself at the man behind him, then turned to plead with Jakotsu.

"Kagome will be half-digested before you reach zero-" he began, being cut off by his surprised lover.

"Kagome?"

"Well yeah," Bankotsu nodded. "Jakotsutou probably has her whole arm down his throat by now..."  
He paused, surprised at the shock in his love's eyes. "Did Inuyasha not tell you?.."

Jakotsu couldn't believe his ears...

The one piece of filth who cared for him, who he could rely on, who'd kept the most deadly of his secrets...  
Her bright, shocked eyes flashed before him. The truth lie behind them, the eyes which had seen so easily through his ruse.  
The very night he had come to live with Bankotsu was the night Kagome had realized that they were together.

And still she kept that fact from her boyfriend, who wanted so much to discover their secret.

Still she held his precious Bankotsu's life in her hands, and still she kept it safe.  
But when her life was in danger, depending on him, Jakotsu hadn't even been warned...

Shaking off his thoughts, he pulled his head up onto Bankotsu's shoulder to glare past him, at Inuyasha.  
"You told me my baby was trying to eat one of her friends, not Kagome herself!"

"What's the difference!" Inuyasha retaliated. "You hate all _filth_, remember!"

"That's not true." Bankotsu interrupted, holding Jakotsu's arms around himself so he couldn't detach himself and get nearer to Inuyasha.

"Why shouldn't your precious queer want the only love of his worst enemy to suffer!" Inuyasha demanded of Bankotsu, " How the fuck do you figure he'd want to help her any more than the other girls!"

"It doesn't matter! You don't need to lie to hi-"

Jakotsu put a hand over his love's mouth, glaring into Inuyasha's eyes.

"That's fine." He said, yanking his hands from Bankotsu's hold. "You just keep assuming the worst of me, Inuyasha."  
He continued, ignoring the shock that ran through both of the men before him.

He'd spoken Inuyasha's real name…

"Because as long as you think so badly of me already…" Jakotsu continued, his hands returning to rest on Bankotsu's waist.  
"I don't have to bother with being 'decent' or 'civil' toward you."

Following these words, Jakotsu proceeded to first flick Inuyasha off, while at the same time, slide a hand down the front of Bankotsu's jeans.  
When the blush on his lover's face intensified to an almost dangerous level, Jakotsu pulled his hands back to himself, and gave him one last, apologetic kiss before walking off toward the living room.

Bankotsu stared after him, speechless. But apparently, not as bad off as Inuyasha, who began to cough, having forgotten to breathe for a full two minutes

(AN.

Changes

Good or bad, right or wrong  
hate them or love them

They still bringcuriosity,  
possible hope for the future

The slight chance of healing  
of forgiveness

Or perhaps

The key which unlocks a new secret  
the truth hidden just below your own nose

The truth which eluded you.)


	18. The Past Is Another Land

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as today is her birthday. Only she could inspire something this weird...  
So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again**

**Chapter Eighteen: The Past: Another Land;  
One Which Can be Revisitted, but can Never be Revived or Mended**

Bankotsu proceeded cautiously into the living room, followed by Inuyasha, who was keeping timidly near to him.  
He put a hand out to instruct Inuyasha to keep his distance, then sat on the carpet, beside Jakotsu, who was then carefully observing the 'scene of the attack.'

He instructed Kagome to remain motionless, lifting her right arm, which was then half way down his beloved pet's throat. He took his time examining the situation, keeping a hand to her arm so Jakotsutou would not swallow any more.

Jakotsu's eyes met Kagome's, puffy and filled with tears, as she quietly begged him for help. And for the first time in nearly six years, he felt a tiny bit of compassion for a woman.

Jakotsu put a hand to Kagome's forehead, brushing her hair from her already reddened eyes, and gave her a confident nod, assuring her that she would not be in pain much longer. He then began the painstaking, very difficult process of working her arm out of Jakotsutou,

"So..." After many moments of seeming to get nowhere with his task, he turned, annoyed, to the girls on the couch.  
"How'd this happen? I specifically told one of you pieces o-... One of you to lock him up in the van..."

He raised an eyebrow at the girls on the couch, who at first looked as though they were too terrified to answer.  
But finally Ayumi, who was most familiar with the strange man before them, spoke up in explanation.

"It's my fault, I put the cage down next to the couch because it was heavy. Kagome didn't do anything wrong!"  
She calmed herself at the hand gesture Jakotsu had made before continuing. "She was sitting on the ground and it slithered up to her. So she introduced us to it and when she saw our faces she insisted on taking a picture so she could brag to Inuyasha or whatever." Jakotsu nodded, instructing her to continue.

"So she got us to sit on the couch and we agreed to take turns with taking pictures. She wrapped the snake around her waist and told us to smile first.  
But then she took the picture - all we saw was a flash - and that's when she started screaming.

It was like the snake wanted to eat the camera, or the flash..."

"Ahhh..." Jakotsu grit his teeth, thinking the situation over, and then speaking only half of the things he'd concluded from her story.  
"Nice work getting him from around her waist. If my baby had gotten to her stomach it wouldn't have been a pretty sight..."

"She did that herself." Ayumi nodded.  
"Right after it swallowed the camera and got a hold of her hand..."

Jakotsu raised an eyebrow at her as a sudden thought occurred to him.

He could already see incriminating red scratches along the portion of her arm which he'd worked free of Jakotsutou's mouth.  
"Please tell me he didn't swallow that cam-"

"I frikkin' knew it!"

Jakotsu turned, confused, to Inuyasha, who was standing by the couch, pointing a dramatically accusing finger at him. He rolled his eyes, placing Kagome's arm and Jakotsutou on his lap before bothering to ask what mind-numbingly interesting information Inuyasha had to share with them.

"Don't give me that shit!" Inuyasha growled, baring down on him.  
"You taught that damn thing to lunge at cameras when it sees the flash! That's why it attacked us!"  
He held out his heavily bandaged hands, indicating them as if they were some sort of undeniable proof of Jakotsu's guilt.

But Jakotsu scoffed at this accusation, placing a hand to his chest that clearly said he was offended.  
"I, a natural-born camera whore, train my most trusted companion to attack flashes of light! I think you'll have to guess again on that one, Dogboy..."

"Yeah, that'd be like... A weird suicide method or something..." Bankotsu offered, scooting a bit closer to Jakotsu, who continued his examination of Kagome as if Inuyasha had never interrupted.

"So how many other people has Jakotsutou tried to consume like that?"  
Bankotsu asked, genuinely intrigued and determined to give his love a distraction from Inuyasha's bias and the difficult task he was having to perform.

"Just two..." Jakotsu shrugged.  
"Him," he gestured toward Inuyasha, "And some jackass that pissed me off at the dorm party last year."

"Oh, why'd he attack then?"

Jakotsu grinned wickedly before answering. "He called me a fag." he stated, as if this was the most obvious answer.

"So it recognizes camera flashes and the word 'fag' right?" Inuyasha inquired.

"No..." Jakotsu replied, smiling up at him. "I threw my baby at that little bastard."

Inuyasha's eyes widened a bit, but he caught himself before flinching and gave Jakotsu a hard glare.  
"So that proves you've sicced that thing on someone before..."

"No I didn't." Jakotsu informed him.  
"I said 'threw' not 'sicced'. My baby is a snake; not a dog."

"Exactly." Bankotsu nodded in agreement. "So just don't call Jakotsu rude names and you'll be fine."

"Well..." Inuyasha began, wondering how best to word his next question.  
"What if he does something to deserve being called a certain name?"

Bankotsu shrugged. "That's fine. Any other word is fine. But there's no reason why the word 'fag' should ever be used against the best friend I've ever had.  
And if you ever do use it, chances are Jakotsutou won't even be able to touch you before I'd already kicked your foul-mouthed, prejudiced ass."

Inuyasha took a shocked step back, but Bankotsu merely grinned up at him.  
"Don't even give me that look, Inuyasha. You know I'd do the same for you if anyone ever said something like that about you."

"Yeah, but for me it wouldn't be true. Everyone knows I'm not a faggot..."  
Inuyasha paused, raising an eyebrow at Bankotsu, who'd just whipped around to look at Jakotsu, fast enough to give himself whiplash.

He didn't get a chance to question Bankotsu before he'd turned back around and fixed him with a deadly glare.  
"That's not the point and you know it," he spat, quickly becoming even angrier with him for reasons Inuyasha couldn't even name.  
"The point is that it's a rude term and no one's going to use it against either of my best friends, whether it's true or not."

Inuyasha did not argue further, instead he directed his eyes, nervously, away from Bankotsu, who turned back around and was then gazing worriedly at Jakotsu.

He seemed to be in a daze, staring almost blankly down at Jakotsutou, forgetting that he was halfway through freeing Kagome from its grasp. His hands were suddenly unsteady, fingers shaking slightly against the snake's sharp fangs.

Bankotsu stepped closer, trying to look at his deep eyes, though they were fixed downward. Apparently, he was forgetting to blink as well.

Worry rose quickly within him as Bankotsu got on his hands and knees, crawling over to be right by his side.  
He spoke quietly, only able to hope that his lover could still hear his words.

"Aisuru… Are you all right?"

Jakotsu remained just as he had been, silently staring, his breathing shallow.  
And he didn't even notice when Jakotsutou swallowed more of Kagome's arm, undoing plenty of his hard work.

"Aisuru? Aisuru, are you all right? Do you need me to.."

His love's voice swam in his head, words lost to his swirling memories.

-------------------------------------------------------------

A shrill voice, that of a woman, a piece of filth…  
Her hands bound behind her back, she stood before him, enraged and betrayed, having lost everything.

Her words would haunt him, he knew, for the rest of his life.

"I knew it! I knew you'd be the same! Just like him- you never loved me! Never!"

His hands were pressed firmly to his ears, and police officers guards were dragging her farther from him, yet her voice only rose. She repeated the words she'd spoken so many times before at the top of her lungs, knowing he'd never be near enough to her, again, to hear them.

"Your father, Ja-Chan! He's done this! He's torn your entire family apart! You've let him take me too! You've let that worthless _faggot_ kill me!'  
Like a wolf, caught in a hunter's deadly trap, she howled out her final words, wishing for them to echo in the deep forest of his mind for all of eternity.

As if she wished the leaves to fall, to take pity on her... But they did not.

Instead, a heavy rain of hatred fell, flooding his memories, numbing his sadness.

She was not a mother, but a piece of filth.

That was all any woman had ever been to him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Bankotsu's quiet whimper barely escaped his lips as he moved so that he sat close behind his shaken love.  
He then wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his head on Jakotsu's shoulder.

"Aisuru..." He began, lowering his voice. "Are you..."

Jakotsu seemingly snapped out of it, leaning back into his embrace as he blinked his tears back.

He had to get himself back together. There was one woman, who was not a piece of filth, that desperately needed his help...

He forced himself back into reality, and was pleased to be there.  
His precious lover was behind him, perfectly close for comfort.

He was shocked that Bankotsu had dared touch him like that with Inuyasha around...

"It's nothing..." He assured, smiling as Bankotsu gave him a loving squeeze.

Inuyasha had just begun worrying about what Bankotsu might've led 'the dangerous queer' to believe by holding him as he was when Jakotsu suddenly turned and spoke to him. "I know what we need now."  
He stated, confusing Inuyasha until he realized that he'd actually been contemplating a solution to Kagome's predicament the entire time they'd been talking.

"Jakotsutou is just like me," Jakotsu began, leaning farther back and reveling in the feel of his lover's body pressed so securely against his own.  
"He likes warmth; like the kind that comes from a sweet hug, or, and this might be a better example, the kind that flows from the wounds of live prey, like Kagome here. So-"

"So we need something cold!" Inuyasha finished, hurrying over to the refrigerator.  
"Exactly." Jakotsu nodded. "A few pieces of ice should get him to let go much faster."

He rolled his eyes as Inuyasha returned with an entire tray of ice.

Why Inuyasha was so attached to the piece of filth known as Kagome was beyond him, but he'd long since accepted it, imagining that it must be something like the way he felt for Bankotsu.

He gently lifted Jakotsutou's upper jaw and slid four ice cubes into his mouth. Sure enough, Jakotsutou loosened its hold on Kagome almost immediately and Jakotsu instructed her to hold on tight to the camera as she began working her arm from the snake's mouth.

Once she'd finally freed herself, Kagome sat back, cradling her arm as she thanked him profusely.

"No problem." Jakotsu shrugged, leaning over to get a better look at her wounds as Bankotsu released him and took Jakotsutou into his own lap.  
"You must've thrashed around alot. These are deep, even misshapen..."  
He mumbled, examining the many cuts on her arm.

"I couldn't help it..." Kagome paused, realizing that Jakotsu was no longer paying attention to her.

He had turned instead to Bankotsu, a slight hint of worry entering his voice as he spoke.  
"Ban-chan, I think we should get her treated..."

Bankotsu let Jakotsutou down and he slithered under the couch, effectively scaring the three girls from it.

"You mean professional treatment? Like from a doc- physician?"

Jakotsu stared silently at him, a shock having run right through him at Bankotsu's slip-up.  
After a few moments of painful memories threatening to resurface, he snapped out of it and stood, helping Kagome to her feet as well.

"Allright, here's what I think we should do: Ban-chan can take the three g-gir... Fil-" Jakotsu covered his mouth with a fake cough." - to my new house, and Inuyasha and I will take Kagome to the...Office."

"Are you sure about that?" Bankotsu asked, unsure if his love was thinking clearly.  
Jakotsu gave him a firm nod. "Hopefully, we'll be able to meet up at my new place later..."  
He winked at Bankotsu before walking over to the table, picking up the cordless phone, and dialing a number he'd almost forgotten.

A man's calm voice issued from the earpiece. "This is the Kotsu office, how may I help you?"

Jakotsu's almost sadistic smile lit up his features as he whispered his reply.

"Tell me how I can make him mine."

For a moment the man on the other end remained silent, but he found his voice and answered with, "It's been so long, aniki. I thought you'd forgotten about me."

Jakotsu walked off to the back of the house, leaving Bankotsu to tend to Kagome and Inuyasha to glare suspiciously at the door of the room he'd locked himself in.

(AN.

There are many memories  
Many elements of the past which can never be erased

Instances one cannot forget;  
Pain that may not heal

But one must live with such things  
The entire world swims with unrest

So let the past rest in peace,  
Look to the future with hope in hand

Or let the painful past destroy the present  
Risk letting everything fall apart.)


	19. Air, Memories, and Suffering

(AN. Chapter 19!! OMG it's all about to come to its final conclusion... Heart breaking ne? Well, about this chapter...

It was particularly difficult to complete, since so much happens and so much changes. But it's finished to my satisfaction, and hopefully to yours as well.  
Behold! Fourteen glorious pages of new realizations, character development, and clarification! As aleays, Read, Review, and most importantly, ENJOY. )

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

**Never Again **

**Chapter Nineteen: Sterilized Air, Quarantined Memories, But Persistant Suffering**

Inuyasha sat boredly in one of the many perfectly white, perfectly clean hospital chairs, rifling through yet another magazine while sneaking quick looks at Jakotsu, who was sitting a few chairs from him.

For the past hour, Jakotsu had been just sitting there, staring at nothing as if in a daze, with Jakotsutou wrapped securely around his neck.

He continued mechanically stroking the python's head, which then rested in his lap, and closed his eyes as the nurse emerged from the room which he recognized as the one his favorite piece of filth had been taken to.

"You can go in and see her in just a few minutes Inuyasha, but doc- Suikotsu would like to speak with you, Jakotsu."

Jakotsu nodded feverishly, wrapping his companion around his arms to draw comfort from his familiar touch.

Inuyasha however, stood immediately to shake her hand.

"Thank you Kikyou-sama."  
He offered her a polite smile before gesturing toward his room mate.  
"Um... Do you have any idea what's wrong with him?"

Kikyou raised an eyebrow at him before cocking her head to get a better look at Jakotsu.  
"I thought you'd been living with him for a while." She began, turning back to him.  
"No one told you about his 'trigger' words and places?"

Inuyasha shook his head, now thoroughly confused. "Trigger?.."

Kikyou turned on her heel and stalked off, giving him a single closing comment.  
"I think you may want to ask Suikotsu about that, he's the family friend psychiatrist, not me..."

Inuyasha reluctantly took his seat, sparing another glance at the strangely behaving, black-headed man who now seemed to be singing something under his breath.

Doctor Suikotsu emerged from Kagome's room and smiled at Inuyasha, who'd stood up again, this time with a sigh of relief.

"Why so tense, Inuyasha? They're just a few snakebites..."

Inuyasha shook his head, gesturing toward Jakotsu. "There's something wrong with him... Like, seriously wrong with him. I mean, he hasn't started any arguments with me for hours, he won't talk, barely blinks, he keeps mumbling things, and... I'm not even sure when he's still breathing..."

Suikotsu chuckled, walking over to Jakotsu and sliding a clipboard and some documents onto his lap, beneath Jakotsutou.  
"Alright lover boy, sign these in two places for me, I'll take a look at Jakotsutou and you'll be out of here in no time."

Jakotsu nodded silently and immediately began signing the documents in his lap.

Suikotsu then turned to Inuyasha with a reassuring smile. "Kagome's fine, and so is Jakotsu. He's just in a trigger place."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes once again at the unfamiliar term before dropping his polite tone.  
"What the hell does that mean!?"

Suikotsu raised a surprised eyebrow, slightly taken aback by this outburst.  
"I would've thought that Bankotsu had told you everything about his precious Jakotsu's...Uniqueness.  
But then again it's not exactly the best way to make a first impression."

Inuyasha nodded, urging him into more of an explanation.

Suikotsu gave Jakotsu a questioning glance, but he had finished signing the documents and was then staring blankly at Jakotsutou.  
Suikotsu placed a hand beneath Jakotsu's chin and tilted his head to get a good look at his eyes.

Unfortunately, they were almost completely devoid of life, pools of dull, almost gray ink.  
Still, he was wary enough to blink, and seemed to recognize Suikotsu. So he went ahead and did the right thing, asking his permission before saying anything to Inuyasha.

"Jakotsu, would you please allow me to give Inuyasha a brief explanation and a list of your trigger words and places?"

Jakotsu seemed to snap out of it immediately, pulling away from Suikotsu and shaking his head while mumbling.

"No...no, no, no, no,no..."

Suikotsu clapped a hand to his mouth but Jakotsu continued shaking his head, mumbling into his palm for a minute before he finally stopped and returned to his silent staring.

He released his mouth and turned back to Inuyasha as if nothing had happened.  
"So, I'll tell you some other time allrigh-"

"No!"

"Allright, it's settled then... Later-"

"-Never!"

Suikotsu held in a chuckle and began walking back toward Kagome's room, signalling for Inuyasha to follow.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at Jakotsu, who had resumed his silent song and followed Suikotsu.

Once they were inside, Suikotsu stood at the foot of the bed, rifling through a few more documents as he checked once more.

"Well Inuyasha, Jakotsu has told me previously..." Suikotsu began, attracting Inuyasha's attention.  
"That you distrust him, and think him to be 'emotionally unstable' and possibly dangerous around Bankotsu. Is this true?"

Inuyasha nodded, taking a seat next to Kagome's bed and running a hand over the bandages which covered her entire right arm.  
"Yeah, and I have reasons... Don't get me wrong, but just the way he looks at Bankotsu could send a shiver up my spine."

Suikotsu raised an eyebrow at him but continued listening in silence.

"I mean, he's sworn up and down that he adores Bankotsu, even used the word 'love' a few times.  
But after seeing him on top of him like that, with his teeth in his neck like some kind of animal... I just can't trust him alone with Bankotsu, not any more."

"Yes, Jakotsu told me of that... Incident. And I see where you're coming from..."  
Suikotsu mumbled, his eyes leaving Inuyasha's as he poured once more over the documents in his hands.

"Everyone makes mistakes-"

"But everyone doesn't tackle people they 'love' and take a chunk out of their neck!"

Suikotsu gave Inuyasha a hard, searching glare, and Inuyasha shrunk back, regretting his sudden outburst.  
"Well…" Suikotsu began, his tone changing. "I don't see how it could help to tell you any of their or Jakotsu's secrets, since you distrust him so much already."

Inuyasha winced internally, wishing he hadn't said anything to him.  
But Suikotsu seemed to have let it go, and he made it clear that his change of openness would remain as it was.

I will tell you however, that it's no wonder Jakotsu seems so unstable. He's been through alot of things that you couldn't imagine. In fact, he, as my most remarkable patient, showed me just how miraculous human beings are with their ability to adapt and recover...

It's a miracle he even regained the ability to smile within just months."

At this point, Suikotsu raised his head and met Inuyasha's gaze with his own, the sincerity in his eyes ridding him of his uncertainty.

"He is truly amazing, but much of the credit for his recovery can also be given to Bankotsu, his best and most supportive friend... And please understand that this is hypothetical when I say it, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha nodded his confirmation and Suikotsu continued.

"If there were to be one and only one person that Jakotsu felt he could trust in the entire world, I believe Bankotsu would be that person.  
Bankotsu was there for him when no one else cared he was alive, and never passed judgment on him as everyone else seemed to..."

At this, Suikotsu raised his eyebrows at Inuyasha with a nod, then continued. "Hypothetically, mind you, If there was one person who Jakotsu could ever truly feel anything like 'love' toward, I truly believe that Bankotsu would be that person."

Inuyasha simply stared silently at him, inwardly questioning the validity of his words.  
But, he reasoned, Suikotsu couldn't have gotten his degree for lying to people...

So he forced his shock away, listening intently to the doctor's next words.

"So while you have the right to worry of your friend being hurt by Jakotsu's passionate feelings toward him, you need to remember that you just may be wrong in assuming that such feelings are harmful to him..."

Suikotsu stood, his face mere inches from Inuyasha's as he reached the end of his lecture.

"What you need to remember, Inuyasha, is that love is so very much more than sexual desire. We're talking about two best friends, one of whom happening to be homosexual, who've been side-by-side through everything for the past seven or eight years.  
Bankotsu is _very_ valuable to Jakotsu, and despite what you may think or may have seen, I doubt he'd do anything that could seriously hurt him or damage their relationship."

Suikotsu took a step closer to Inuyasha, lowering his voice as he continued.  
"Because he is so very precious to Jakotsu..."

"Jakotsu will do just about anything to ensure that Bankotsu remains by his side, and something like physically hurting him, in as serious a degree as rape, would obviously strike Jakotsu as something that is way too risky for him to attempt.

If you ask me, Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha barely nodded, almost nose to nose with the calm physician.

"I'd tell you that unrequited or not, Jakotsu _is_ in love with Bankotsu."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and a question immediately occured to him. "But he knows that Bankotsu isn't... Like him, so why would he even-"

Suikotsu held up a hand to silence him, sparing a quick glance at the closed door before cutting him off.

"One may love anything, knowing that love may never be returned. For instance; one may love a poem, a painting, their childhood memories, a stuffed animal, a pet cat... There is nothing that says that love must be requited to flourish."

Suikotsu grinned at Inuyasha's contemplating expression before continuing, baffling him further.

"And besides, Inuyasha, who's to say the unrequited aspect of such love would last, hmm? Who's to say that Bankotsu could never love Jakotsu back?  
In your mind, is there truly not a single thought, notion, possibility, that in some small way or by some twist of fate, Bankotsu could fall right back in love with the one person who's always understood him?

The one person who's been by his side for so very long, who's supported him through thick and thin. Man or woman, does it even matter if there is true singularity, love and devotion?"

Before Inuyasha could say anything, Suikotsu waved off the topic.

"That's not even what we're supposed to be discussing. Now listen to this..."  
He first checked over Kagome's condition and then gave Inuyasha a brief, and for some reason, hurried explanation of Jakotsu's recently odd behavior.

"Well you see, I was Jakotsu's psychiatrist during some very dark times in his past; for instance, the death of his parents and the time he spent in the... Cl- Clinic. Now there are certain things which 'trigger' his memories of those times."

Inuyasha nodded, suddenly realizing that there truly was a valid reason to Jakotsu's 'emotional instability.'

"For example," Suikotsu continued, "Doctors once administered to him, some painfully ineffective shock therapy, and thus, the word 'doctor' reminds him of those who caused him so much pain.  
Other words include: Institution, Clinic, hospital, death row, court, mom, dad, and Ja-chan, his mother's nickname for him, and even things like needle or shock.

These words trigger reactions, a change in his state of mind, and overall, undesirable effects. I'll make you a list so that you don't have to worry about saying one without realizing. Some of the words are simple like, even some I've heard you'd say... Such as freak or faggo-"

"Faggot!? Oh, tell me you're kidding!"

----------

_"So how many other people has Jakotsutou tried to consume like that?" _

_"Just two..."  
"Inuyasha, and some jackass that pissed me off at the dorm party last year."_

_"Oh, but why'd he attack then?"_

"He called me a fag." 

_"So it recognizes camera flashes and the word 'fag' right?"_

_"No... I threw him at that little bastard." _

_"So just don't call Jakotsu rude names and you'll be fine."_

_"Well... What if he does something to deserve being called a certain name?"_

"That's fine. But there's no reason why the word 'fag' should ever be used against the best friend I've ever had.  
And if you ever do use it, chances are Jakotsutou won't even be able to touch you before I'd've already kicked your foul-mouthed, prejudiced ass."

"Don't even give me that look, Inuyasha. You know I'd do the same for you if anyone ever said something like that about you."

_"Yeah, but for me it wouldn't be true. Everyone knows I'm not a __**faggot**__..."_

_"That's not the point and you know it!"  
"The point is that it's a rude term and no one's going to use it against either of my best friends, whether it's true or not."_

_"Aisuru... Are you-"_

"It's nothing..." 

----------

Suikotsu raised an eyebrow at his surprise, but Inuyasha didn't elaborate. Something that he'd been wondering about had just resurfaced.  
"What does... Um... It's pronounced 'I sul roo' mean?"

Suikotsu was a bit surprised by this sudden change of topic, but he kept his cool, choosing not to disclose such risky information with Inuyasha. "You've got me..."

"Anyway, like I was trying to tell you, his trigger reactions are deeper than I can get into right now, s-"

Inuyasha looked around for a second, to find out why he'd suddenly stopped talking, and almost jumped when he realized that Jakotsu was standing right behind himself.

He immediately backed away from him, but Jakotsu didn't seem to even notice that Inuyasha was in the room.

He walked silently over to Kagome, skillfully lifting Jakotsutou's head so that the python's gaze fell onto her.

"No harm done..." He whispered to the snake, stroking its head with his left hand.  
"Miss Kikyou fixed her up nice, ne? She's a pretty useful piece of filth, so it's no wonder Suikotsu-no-aniki likes her..."

Suikotsu took a step forward, gaining Jakotsu's attention, if you could call it that.  
His empty gaze met Suikotsu's kind, amused eyes, but he didn't show any sign of remorse for what he'd just said.

"Wow aniki, I didn't even see you there..."

"Oh that's fine." Suikotsu assured him. "Did you turn in the documents I gave you? They need those to clear Jakotsutou you know..."

Jakotsu nodded, holding the snake closer to himself and planting a few kisses on its head.  
"Jakotsutou shouldn't get in trouble..."

"And he won't" Suikotsu assured. "I'm not sure why, but for some reason my signature on anything is sufficient for most departments in this city. And everyone knows, I'm hardly a vet!"

Jakotsu didn't laugh at his joke, but continued talking of Jakotsutou.  
"He didn't mean to hurt Inuyasha's filth. He likes her too..."

"What do you mean too?!"  
Inuyasha asked, freezing half way out the door and taking a step back.  
He hurried over and waved a hand in front of his face as he realized that Jakotsu had yet to see him.

"So you like Kagome, do you?" Suikotsu asked, on Inuyasha's behalf.  
He received a curt nod from Jakotsu, who had then turned to smile at Kagome's good condition.

"Yeah, lots. I was kinda worried about her..."

Suikotsu continued, as if he were giving him an interview.  
"And why is it that you like Kagome? I thought that you disliked most women."

Jakotsu nodded again, running his fingers over her bandages.  
"I don't like her... But she's cool... I mean, she's dating Inuyasha, so I always thought she'd hate me like he did, but she didn't..."

"What made you think that she didn't?"

Jakotsu smiled almost mischievously as he answered.  
"I didn't tell you yet? She kept it a secret that time I pushed Bankotsu down on my bed and fel-"

"Yes, I remember when you told me about that!"

Suikotsu nodded enthusiastically, casting a glance at the now extremely distressed, silver-haired man beside him.

"I mean, I didn't mean to, but Inuyasha would be pissed anyway if he knew I did that to Bankotsu...  
He gets pissed at me for everything because of his prejudice."

"You're telling me that he doesn't like you simply because of your sexuality?"  
Suikotsu turned to give Inuyasha a disapproving look, but the man in question shook his head in denial.

Suikotsu turned back to Jakotsu, trying to read into both men's behavior.  
"And you're sure he's not just... A little overprotective of his best friend?"

Jakotsu scoffed "I don't care what he is. If he hadn't been such a bitch to me, I would've gotten right up out of the bath and helped Kagome out."  
He paused, turning to finger the bandages on Kagome's arm.

Inuyasha stared, open-mouthed at the blunt, older man as the truth finally hit him.

"She wouldn't have had to suffer..." he finished but did not turn back to Suikotsu. His eyes remained cast downward and he brought a hand up to cover his eyes, Jakotsutou swiveling slightly in order to wrap comfortably closer to him.

"No one would've had to suffer... If-If it weren't for..." Jakotsu brought his other hand up as his voice broke, a sob escaping his tightly closed mouth.

Suikotsu instinctively took a step closer to him, and Jakotsu moved forward to rest his forehead on his aniki's shoulder.

"What is it?" Suikotsu asked, trying to comfort him.

Jakotsu spoke, making frequent pauses to breathe, as if speaking was a strain.

"He took Ban-chan away... From me...  
Everything. My new home, my pretty room, my... Love... My hopes... dreams... future... My Ban-chan."

Suikotsu nodded sympathetically as tears began to escape his aniki's tightly closed eyes. But he kept his mind clear and focused on what needed to be done.

He wiped his still hot tears away, thinking quickly of how he could use this situation to its full potential.

He first gave Inuyasha a wink, throwing his head back to get him to come away from the door.

Inuyasha stepped away from the door and turned, watching their interaction.

"And Aniki..." Suikotsu began, carefully choosing his words.  
"Aren't you in love with Bankotsu?"

**"Since ninth grade, I think... I'd always dreamed of living with him."**

"After all of those years, it worked out but only lasted three weeks?"

**"Inuyasha hates me. I can't stay with him."**

"You can't just kick him out of the house?"

**"Bankotsu likes him... Like, alot..."**

"But he doesn't like you more?"

**"Bankotsu loves me."**

"Oh, you think so?"

**"Yes..."**

"How-"

Suikotsu stopped as Jakotsu turned away from him, seeming to have completely lost his train of thought.**  
**He walked over to Kagome's bed, watching her sleep.

The room fell silent, Inuyasha looking to Suikotsu with an eyebrow raised.  
"What the hell is-"

"It's common." He explained, "You can't expect him to be able to focus while he's in a trigger place…"  
Suikotsu waved it off and walked calmly over to Jakotsu, following his eyes to Kagome's face.

"What are you looking at, Aniki?"

Jakotsu stared silently at Kagome for another minute before answering him. "She's awake." He whispered, eyes fixed on Kagome.

"No..." his aniki said, pulling Jakotsu from her bed, which he seemed to be trying to crawl up on to. "She seems to be asleep to me..."

Jakotsu gazed at her for a moment before completely losing interest, turning back to Suikotsu.  
He spoke again, his words sending Suikotsu into a state of near panic.

"Bankotsu told me he loved me a thousand times over..."

"I... Well I just-" Suikotsu avoided Inuyasha's eyes, scratching the back of his head as Jakotsu bore down on him.

"Aniki, how could you forget something that important?"

"I didn't, of course." Suikotsu assured him, nodding in agreement. "Of course Bankotsu loves you."

"Yes." Jakotsu nodded proudly, "And I love him."

Suikotsu stepped away from Jakotsu, as he seemed to have cheered up, and walked toward the door as if to lead him from the room, but Jakotsu didn't seem to want to leave.

He spoke again, seeming almost excited.

"Bankotsu said we could stay at my new house tonight, did I tell you?"

Suikotsu shook his head nervously, sliding the door open. "No, but I can't really talk, I mean I do have work to do an-"

"All alone... He's going to tell Inuyasha to stay at the hospital for the night.

"Oh." Suikotsu smiled, trying to sound pleased. "You have plans?"

"No, you know we never do. I wanna let him try out my new hot tub, or just crawl up on him when he settles down for bed, and maybe he w-"

Suikotsu gasped, pointing to Kagome. "Oh, I think she moved!"

"Who?" Jakotsu asked, turning to see what he was pointing at.  
"Kagome!" the calm doctor nearly scoffed.  
"Oh yeah. She's cool." Jakotsu shrugged. "I'd bet she'd keep her mouth shut even if she walked in on me and Bankotsu going a-"

"Mom, Dad, hospital!" Suikotsu gasped, causing Jakotsu to go positively rigid.

Inuyasha glanced between Suikotsu and Jakotsu, his suspicions finally confirmed.  
"What are you trying to stop him from saying?!" He demanded of Suikotsu. But unfortunately for him, the doctor was quite preoccupied.

He first guiltily winced at his former patient, who had, if it was possible, gone even paler than usual.  
Every ounce of color had drained from his face as he turned to stare at his aniki with fearful eyes.

Suikotsu stood still for a moment as silence filled the room, but wasn't able to remain in such a way.  
Moments after he'd fallen silent and still, Jakotsu began to shiver, though both the other men knew that the hospital room's temperature was regulated and perfectly comfortable.

Suikotsu walked carefully up to Jakotsu, standing close behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist, chin resting on his shoulder.

Inuyasha watched them, realization hitting him as an image of de ja vu flashed before his eyes; Suikotsu's short brown hair morphing easily into Bankotsu's long silken braid. His then dark blue eyes slid closed as Jakotsu's hands came up to meet those of the man behind himself.

He walked over to them, surprised to find himself so interested in the mental state he himself had caused Jakotsu to fall into mere hours before.  
"That's the way you calm him down?" He asked in a whisper, taking a step closer to Suikotsu. "The only way?"

"No..." Suikotsu whispered back, his gaze meeting Inuyasha's. He did not, however, dare to loosen his hold on Jakotsu.  
"I was told that Suzaku- that is, Jakotsu's old room mate - couldn't calm him like this.  
He said kisses worked better..."

"No," Inuyasha scoffed, "I meant if I ever had to do it."

"Oh, Suikotsu shrugged, "Try getting some help from Bankotsu or Jakotsutou..."

Inuyasha winced at this. Immediately he knew that from then on he'd have to be very cautious to avoid saying any of Jakotsu's trigger words.  
There was no way he'd force himself to either have to hold the effeminate man like that or try to coax the deadly python into doing it...

But before he knew it, Jakotsu 's eyes blinked back to life.

Jakotsutou had begun to emit a low hissing.  
The large python had its head fixated on Jakotsu's shoulder, keeping its eyes locked on Inuyasha.

"Bad boy." Jakotsu gently scolded, not bothering to check on what his pet was actually hissing at. "Don't hiss at my aniki..."

"Oh, it's no problem." Suikotsu assured, releasing Jakotsu as relief flooded through him.  
He took his chance, grasping Jakotsu's right hand and pulling him from the room. "Jakotsutou is probably just tired of the smell of this place!"

"Me too..." Jakotsu mumbled, his eyes meeting Inuyasha's.

The shimmer of life had returned to his inky black gaze...

Inuyasha stood alone in the room, the haunting image of Jakotsu's revived eyes still lingering before him.  
He wondered, at first, if Jakotsu truly hadn't noticed him before then, but decided that he probably hadn't, or otherwise wouldn't have been speaking of him as if he hadn't been there.

The next issue he had to internally discuss with himself was that of Bankotsu and Jakotsu's relationship.  
Even while he was out of his mind, in a "trigger" place, Jakotsu was completely confident in many things that anyone in their right mind would've understood.

He'd even been able to recall memories clearly.  
Why then, had he said so many things that even Inuyasha himself found difficult to believe?

Why had there been so much certainty in his voice when he'd told Suikotsu that Bankotsu loved him?  
Sure they were close, and had been best friends for many years, but such a relationship could hardly be called love...

Or perhaps he was reading into his words too much.  
Perhaps the love Jakotsu spoke of was the sort that brothers would share, like the kind he had for Suikotsu, his "aniki".

Half of his mind wanted desperately to believe that, but the other half urged him to delve further into the perplexing situation, to avoid letting the waters settle and do a little more research.

If Bankotsu truly did love Jakotsu in a way that was any deeper than friendship, and much unlike family, then so much would change.  
Such a discovery would shed new light on every aspect of Inuyasha's relationship with Bankotsu, even on his personal self.

After, for so long, Inuyasha had believed that gay men were "freaky" and after having poked so much fun at his new room mate for being what he was, Inuyasha knew that if he were to discover that Bankotsu was the very thing that'd caused so much controversy, their lives would be drastically altered.

He probably wouldn't even find himself able to go through with allowing Jakotsu to leave. How unfair would it be to separate Bankotsu from the man he loved? How could Inuyasha live with himself after doing so? And how could he ever look scornfully down upon any other gay man?

How could he maintain a prejudice against the best friend he'd ever had?

What if the rabbit hole went deeper than his amount of light could show him? What lie beyond, in the depths of such a mystifying cave:  
A dark secret? The answers to all of his questions? Or maybe even something he already knew. There was only one way to find out.

He decided to dig a little deeper, readying himself and his new flashlight of determination.

(AN. A man knows, that nothing will change unless he speaks.

And nothing will begin unless he moves.)


	20. The Truth's Final Chance

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. Chapter 20! OMG it's all about to come to its final conclusion... Heart breaking ne? Well, about this chapter...

It was particularly difficult to complete, since so much happens and so much changes.  
But it's finished to my satisfactory, and hopefully to yours as well.  
Behold! Fourteen glorious pages of new realizations, character development, and clarification! As always, Read, Review, and most importantly, ENJOY. )

**Never Again **

**Chapter Twenty: The Truth's Final Chance at Revival : Their Final Chance at Happiness**

(AN. The song featured in this chapter is by the wonderfully talented Ai Orikasa.  
She is Jakotsu's Japanese voice, so I found this song to be perfect for its use in the chapter. It figures that Takahashi-sama would choose a famous singer for Jakotsu's voice while in America we get some two-bit voice actress…

Anyway, I have the entire song if anyone would like a download, to get a chance to hear Jakotsu sing! I also have the full lyric sheet as well. Just let me know if you'd like either one of them.)

Inuyasha hurried into the little house Jakotsu had recently purchased, and began looking around, his mind set on finding Bankotsu, who was supposed to have arrived there hours before.

Suikotsu's conversations with both Jakotsu and himself ran once again through his head, urging him to trespass further into this house, which did not belong to him.

Jakotsu had come in behind him, and Inuyasha was sure that the glare he was giving him meant something along the lines of 'How dare you burst into my house like that?'

But Inuyasha didn't care about that.  
He was, after all, trying to help Jakotsu tremendously in the long run.

He hurried through the kitchen, spotting many already opened boxes of familiar items among the furniture the former owner had left, as well as a large reptile cage, which was currently empty.

He headed for the back of the house, only to narrowly miss running right into someone.  
Though Inuyasha managed to catch hold of the wall in time, the girl he'd almost hit had no such luck. She fell to the ground, but managed to catch herself.

Inuyasha turned, recognizing the girl to be the same one who had sold them the house.

Nazuna, as he recalled, first pushed herself onto her knees and then breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Close one ne?" She asked, smiling up at him.  
"Sorry." He apologized, offering a hand to help her up.

She took it, almost excitedly hurrying to her feet.  
"I remember you!" She announced, waving cheerfully.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her as Nazuna's smile faded, as if something had distracted her from her cheer.

She bowed hurriedly, but respectfully, and asked a favor of him.  
"But if you please, Mr…"

"-Inuyasha." He offered.

"Inuyasha," she continued, "The man with the long pretty hair-"

"-Bankotsu."

"Yes, Bankotsu. Would you mind telling me where I might find his boyfriend?"

Inuyasha froze, his smile fading as he pursed his lips.  
"Boyfriend?" He inquired, glaring into Nazuna's suddenly worried green eyes. "Well yes," Nazuna nodded, stepping timidly away from him.  
"The one with the short dark hair - he was really shy- I don't remember his nam-"

Her cheery grin returned as Jakotsu rounded the corner, curious to see who Inuyasha had been speaking to.

"There you are!" She hurried over to Jakotsu, pointing to a door down the hall.  
"Your boyfriend said to put your pet in there, but then." She indicated another door. "You might want to check on him in there. I think he's asleep or something.  
He won't talk to me…"

Jakotsu nodded before walking off to find Jakotsutou.

Nazuna, her job completed, hurried off, right out the front door, but Inuyasha followed her out.

"Hey!" He called after her.

The girl paused, digging through her purse beside her car. "Hmm?"  
Distracted eyes briefly met Inuyasha's as she pulled her key chain from her mouth, looking for her car keys.

"Um…" Inuyasha looked around, surprised to find that he'd chased her all the way outside into the cold. He shook it off however, and asked her what he wanted to know. "What you said about Jakotsu and Bankotsu… Why would you assume that, that they were…"

Nazuna paused in her search for the right key to turn to him. "That they were together?" She asked, hoping he'd clarify the question.

Inuyasha nodded, and she smiled again.

"It's simple really." She stated, beginning her explanation. "Their auras coexist so harmoniously. Last time, when they were together, it was almost as if their hearts beat as one, as if their auras fed off one another…"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her, but Nazuna continued with complete confidence.  
"And then, when I saw that one guy alone, it seemed as if his aura had faded quite a bit, as if its strength wasn't complete without the other's, if you know what I mean."

"No." Inuyasha scoffed. "I don't know what you mean." He informed, rather coldly. "Besides, they're not together."

Nazuna's eyes widened in shock and she nearly dropped the keys she was holding.  
"You… You're sure?" She asked, her disbelieving eyes meeting Inuyasha's fierce glare.

"Hell yeah. Bankotsu's not a fruit like Jakotsu. They're just friends."

"I've never seen a friend-based aura that glowed with such warmth, such loving-"

"They're **just** friends."

"Are you certain?" Nazuna asked again, looking almost pleadingly up at him. "Their auras were so-"

"I don't believe in that spiritual bullshit." Inuyasha spat, as if Nazuna had been trying to make him do so.

Nazuna backed away from him as if he'd just personally offended her.  
The sounds of the cold night drifted through their ears as the two fell silent.

"You don't believe in spiritual awareness?" The girl whispered, almost begging him to tell her otherwise.

Inuyasha sighed  
"Well no, especially not if you're telling me Bankotsu's spirit makes him queer…"

Nazuna shook her head, just as one of the many keys she'd searched through slid into the lock on her car door.  
She chose not to get in, looking over the older man before her.

"What have you to believe in, if not the truth?" She asked, waiting for his answer.

But Inuyasha merely scoffed at her question.  
He turned and went back in the house, bitterly doubting that her precious _spiritual warmth _would keep her from freezing outside.

He stood near the door, Nazuna's words echoing in his ears. And soon the dog-like man began to wonder, once again, about the many things Suikotsu had spoken to him about earlier, and though he hated it, the doubt within him grew.

Could it really be that he was the only one who couldn't read into his best friend's true self? Inwardly he'd already admitted that if it turned out that he couldn't, it wouldn't be his own fault. But it would be Bankotsu's fault, as he'd refused to admit having any more affection toward Jakotsu than a best friend would have.

If Bankotsu had deceived him, had it been for Inuyasha's own good, in some way?  
In that sense, there may not have been anyone to _solely_ blame…

But still, he knew he was wrong in one way. The hurt in Nazuna's gaze told him…  
So many people were merely trying to help him find the truth, and even if they were the ones mistaken, there was no reason to be cruel to them…

Unless he was bitter, disappointed in himself more than anything, for not seeing what so many others had. Maybe he envied Nazuna's magnificently perceptive eyes.  
Maybe the many possibilities and notions were just too frustrating for him.

"_What have you to believe in if not the truth? _

"_In your mind, is there truly not a single thought, notion, possibility, that in some small way or by some twist of fate, Bankotsu could fall right back in love with the one man who's always understood him, and been by his side for so very long?" _

"_What have you to believe - If you ask me, I'd say that unrequited or not, he __**is**__ in love - the truth - Bankotsu could fall right back in love…"_

Inuyasha pushed away the blending voices of Nazuna and Suikotsu, again telling himself that he'd inevitably have to find the final solution by himself.

Maybe, if Bankotsu was sleeping, as Nazuna said, this would be the perfect opportunity for Inuyasha to sneak in and do a little spying on his best friend. He wasn't sure what answer he was hoping to find, but knew that he had to do all he could to find one because Suikotsu's words, though he hated to admit it, had convinced him that Jakotsu _could_ truly be in love with Bankotsu.

Inuyasha was all right with the separation if Jakotsu's "true love" was unrequited, but if Bankotsu felt anything for him in return then he would suffer as well, and Inuyasha was not about to let his best friend go through such a painful experience on his account.

The dog-like boy carefully gathered his courage. Then, as carefully and quietly as possible, got on his hands and knees, crawling silently to the back of the house.  
He succeeded in reaching the hallway without making a sound, only to have his efforts crushed by the sight before him.

Jakotsu was sitting in the hallway, his back against the door Nazuna had earlier pointed out to him. He had his legs drawn up to his chest and his face in his hands.

Inuyasha gave up on his sneaking and walked over to him, now able to hear his muffled sobbing. He then sat on his knees, trying to get a look at his face.  
"Hey Queerkotsu, what'd he do to you?"

Jakotsu said nothing, offering no reply other than a wet sniffle. So Inuyasha turned instead to the door he was leaning against.

Unsurprisingly, it was locked, and he assumed Bankotsu must've been inside.

He knocked twice, calling to Bankotsu from the hallway.  
"Hey Bankotsu, what'd you do to Queerio!"

Again Inuyasha received no reply, but as he took another glance at the miserable guy beside himself, he made up his mind not to let it go so easily.

"Bankotsu do you not even care that you made your own 'best friend' cry!"  
He called through the door again, hoping that if he said something rude enough, Bankotsu would get tired of it. Or maybe want to get Jakotsu a safe distance from him… "He's out here bawling his eyes out! Did you finally drill the fact that you're straight into his thick skull! Or did you just tell his fagass to go fuck off?"

Inuyasha glared as silence filled the house, interrupted only by Jakotsu's infrequent sobs.  
But after racking his brain a bit, Inuyasha found the perfect way to coax Bankotsu into a reply. He pulled, from his back pocket, the list Suikotsu had given him, and chose a few words from it.

"You know…" He began, addressing Bankotsu in a normal tone.  
"He reminds me of my jackass brother. He's a **faggot **too. And I swear, he's just like my **father**. But then again my **mother **was also-"

He stopped at the sound of something hitting the door and turned to Jakotsu, who had taken his face from his hands and was instead, holding his head in them as if he had a severe headache.

His eyes screwed shut and Inuyasha realized that he'd hit the back of his head, hard, against the door.

Inuyasha frowned for a moment at his sudden change in demeanor, just as Jakotsu began to shiver violently, mumbling things under his breath just as he'd done in the hospital. He averted his eyes from Jakotsu, hoping he hadn't said too much, and continued talking to Bankotsu through the door.

"But anyway, seriously, what'd you do to Queerio to upset him like this?  
He's shivering and holding his head… Kinda like one of those psychos you see on TV, like in mental **institutions **and…"

Finally Bankotsu decided to answer, walking right up to the door to talk to him.

"Inuyasha, don't say another fucking word to me."  
He threatened, keeping his cool but finding himself unable to refrain from wincing as Jakotsu's head jerked from his hold and hit the door again.

"I just wanted you to come out before your friend here had a fit, but it looks like he's already-"

"Just shut the hell up!"

Inuyasha grinned at the door in satisfaction, taking a step back.  
"I'll shut up when you come out here and get your queer…"

Finally the door slid open, Bankotsu stepping through the same beaded curtains that lined every doorframe. But Inuyasha didn't even have time to greet him before Jakotsu fell back onto the ground, his shivering turning into involuntary twitching.

"Look at this." Bankotsu scoffed, getting on his knees to pull Jakotsu from the ground.  
"You and your big mouth…You didn't have to go and say all that. I only wanted him to stay out until I was finished with his new room…"

"Well why was he crying then?"

"I promised I'd stay with him the first night, but now I realize I can't. I have to check on Kagome-chan … But I figured I could at least set up his room for him since he'll be a little distraught for a while."

Inuyasha almost apologized before he recognized the amount of concern and regret in Bankotsu's last sentence.  
Things were going just as he'd hoped.

"Well that's what you get for ignoring him." He put on a fake sneer before turning and heading back down the hall.  
"Don't even bother with **my **girlfriend! I'll keep her company tonight and leave you to patch your pathetic friend back up!" He called behind himself.

And just in case he hadn't given enough incentive he offered Bankotsu one last comment.  
"But feel free to join us if you're worried you might get raped here!"

He chuckled as his predictable roommate scoffed at his parting words, but accepted his offer. He easily overheard his best friend tell the distressed man before him that he'd stay and take care of him.

But little did Bankotsu know; Inuyasha had no intention of leaving just then…

After opening and shutting the front door loudly, he got on his hands and knees and crawled back over to the corner of the hallway. He peeked around it, grinning in satisfaction as he saw that his friend had already pulled Jakotsu into the room with him.

As he was using both hands to drag Jakotsu, Bankotsu had neglected to slide the door closed; exactly the mistake Inuyasha had hoped he'd make.

The moment of truth had arrived.  
It was high time Inuyasha got to take a peek into what his former roommate and his best friend did when they'd been left to themselves.  
He crawled cautiously to the doorway and didn't dare to look past the beaded curtains until he'd heard the soft creak of a mattress on bedsprings.

He carefully pulled some of the beaded strings from his view, looking around the room.

Bankotsu's former bed was situated on the far right, just in front of the door, the head of which faced Inuyasha. But the rest of the room was bare, aside from the boxes on the carpet and a dresser on the opposite side.

It seemed as though Bankotsu had purposely neglected to place any of the other pieces of furniture in the room, choosing to focus on the bed.  
The queen-sized bed that had once belonged to Nazuna had been removed from the room and replaced with Bankotsu's king-sized, former bed…

It was almost as if he knew Jakotsu would need something larger than the feminine bed Nazuna had given him. As if he hadn't planned for Jakotsu to sleep alone often. His interest piqued, Inuyasha moved a few more strings of beads to get a better look at Bankotsu, who was currently leaned over Jakotsu, who lay alone on the bed.

Inuyasha shifted his position to the other side of the door and was then able to see them both clearly. Bankotsu had a hand to Jakotsu's cheek and was quietly singing him a song.

"Samishisa ga mune ni afureru yoru nara. Yami no fukasa ni hitomi tojite sukoshi nemurimashou." Bankotsu whispered, stroking Jakotsu's bangs.

( AN. Remember that they speak and understand only Japanese, not English.  
So Inuyasha _does_ know what Bankotsu is singing when it's in the above form.

FYI he's saying: "If you're too lonely at night,

We'll sleep together, and close our eyes so we can't see the deep darkness." )

Inuyasha recognized it as the very song Jakotsu had been mumbling in the hospital.  
It must've been, he concluded, something to calm him after he'd heard a trigger word…

"Kono mama damatte odotte imashou. Asa ga kuru koto wasurete ii wa…"

Bankotsu continued, and Inuyasha held in a gasp as he realized that not only had Jakotsu stopped shivering, but his eyes had opened. He lie still, listening to the song as if he had been doing so all along.

"Let's continue our silent dance," Bankotsu whispered, repeating the lyrics in a language he knew Jakotsu could not understand.  
"You can just forget that morning will come. It's unimportant. Mabushi kimochi wa…"

"Mou…" Jakotsu pouted, interrupting the song's ending, and lifting a hand to cup Bankotsu's cheek.

"Finish in English, Aisuru." he begged, "It's so pretty…"

Bankotsu nodded, finishing the song in a language neither of them understood, though each had the lyrics' meanings memorized.  
_"I am always brimming with dazzling love for you… But brightening just a bit of your night, to make you smile, is enough."_

(AN. The ending goes like this: "Mabushi kimochi wa afurete iru kedo.  
Anata no yoru wo sotto sotto terasu  
Dake de ii.." )

Inuyasha frowned at the foreign language Bankotsu had finished the song in, wondering what he'd just said to make Jakotsu smile like that.

His speaking another language in such a romantic tone was, to Inuyasha, a hindrance to his investigation. But when Bankotsu moved closer to Jakotsu, his spying friend chose to let it go, remembering that actions spoke much louder than words.

He brushed his wandering mind off, focusing his attention on the younger man, who seemed to be getting even more intimate with the one he'd previously been singing to. Bankotsu had forfeited his standing position by Jakotsu in order to crawl up onto the bed with him. Granted that Jakotsu had pulled on his shirt insistently to get him to do so, Inuyasha believed that Bankotsu had complied very willingly, and had done so with a genuine smile.

It seemed that both Nazuna and Suikotsu had been correct in their claims of something Inuyasha would otherwise have never even considered…

He watched as Bankotsu adjusted himself atop his companion expertly, as if he'd done it a thousand times before. And when he dipped his head to capture Jakotsu's lips in a deep, passionate kiss, golden eyes widened not with shock, but realization.

Inuyasha crawled backwards from the doorframe, returning the beaded curtain to its place, and sat breathlessly against the wall of the hallway. So many things that had been hidden from him hit home, all at once, and he suddenly understood so much more about his best friend. More than he'd thought possible.

Many emotions slid into Inuyasha's mind then, but surprisingly, the one he'd most expected wasn't present.

He was not, in the least bit, disgusted.

Despite every rude comment he'd made about Jakotsu, every glare he'd shot him, and every time he'd ever held something against him just for being what he was, Inuyasha found comfort and even fondness in knowing that the very man he had detested, truly made his best friend happy.

He knew then, better than ever, that it had not been Jakotsu's personality or sexuality that he'd disliked, but the threat he posed to Bankotsu's well being.

With this new discovery, Inuyasha's spirit lifted for the first time in a length of time he could not even hope to measure. He got to his feet, reveling for a moment in the sudden warmth he felt.

But his work was done, and he knew what he had to do.  
With a much lighter heart and a clearing conscious, he prepared to leave the little house.

The path was a clear-cut one. He need only to catch Bankotsu the following day, explain what he had seen, and apologize for the way he had acted.

Maybe it wasn't even too late to cancel buying the new house…

"This will be perfect…" He whispered, gazing happily into the future.

"It's so easy. Why didn't I see it bef-"

As he headed out the door, loud music, which distracted him, issued from the kitchen.  
He turned to glance curiously at Jakotsu's cell phone, which he realized was the source of the music, and nearly forgot what he was doing.

Until, of course, Jakotsu emerged from the hallway, walking backwards as he scolded Bankotsu for not picking it up for him.

"Haven't you learned anything about ignoring phone calls!" He called, sarcastically.  
"You'll have Dog boy in here busting my ass again!"

"That's what you get, you rotten, lazy, queer!" Bankotsu retaliated with a laugh.

Jakotsu turned around, chuckling at his love's uncaring reply.  
His smile faded slightly as he noticed the slightly opened front door.

"Inuyasha's gonna get me robbed…" He mumbled, heading over to it.  
But he hadn't even taken a step toward it when the door slid closed, almost scaring him.

"Um… ok…" Jakotsu mumbled, hurrying over to answer his phone call.

Inuyasha leaned against the other side of the front door, relieved to have gotten out of the house without being noticed.

He grinned as he walked toward his car, Jakotsu's clueless voice floating after him.

"Oh my- Suzaku! It's been forever!"

(AN. It's time now for everything to come to a close. Time for the story to end... But how will it come to pass? Tell me what you think, give me your opinions of this chapter, and tell me what you WANT to happen! In other words review, review, review!

Because your opinion is what truly matters, and at this point, it may be more important than anything! So I hope to hear from you soon!


	21. Mending A Broken Heart

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. My very first work of AU! This is a gift for Skittlez, as today is her birthday. Only she could inspire something this weird...  
So she and any shounenai fangirl lucky enough to come across this fic can Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again**

**Chapter Twenty-One: Mending A Broken Heart... With His Bare Hands and "Pretty Eyes"**

Inuyasha paced excitedly through Kagome's hospital room, mumbling to himself.  
It was getting late, and he had yet to come up with a single good line.  
He paused his pacing, taking a deep breath before making an announcement to the blank wall in front of him.

"Hey, you know I've changed my mind. Having two room mates isn't so bad and…"

He sighed, turning around and restarted his pacing as he tried again to come up with a better line.

"So I noticed you're queer. In that case, why don't we get Jakotsu to come back over here? Me, no, of course I don't mind…"  
Inuyasha sighed, dropping his friendly tone. "I'm a sucky nice guy…" he mumbled.

He turned to his snickering girlfriend and pelted her with another dog treat. "I'm trying!" He whined, only succeeding in making Kagome laugh harder.

He pulled another dog treat from his pocket and began absently chewing on it.  
"Bankotsu, I know I've been a real ass lately, but I really just want to apologize now…

That's a good start right?"

Kagome nodded, giving her boyfriend an encouraging smile as she sat back in her bed.  
"Sure, but why don't you just walk up to him and say what you want, you know, just whatever your heart tells you?"

At this suggestion, Inuyasha gave her a look that clearly asked 'how could you even say something that stupid!'

"Kagome, I've never been one to just blurt out how I feel. I mean, I'm not even any good at communicating, especially when it comes to something this complicated…"

"But you do it for me…"

"Bankotsu's a guy!" Inuyasha scoffed. "I can't just go up to him and kiss him to cheer him up!"

Kagome shrugged. "You don't know, he might like that…"

Inuyasha shot her a glare that was just barely below the deadly level, then returned to his pacing.  
"Kagome, I asked you to help for a reason, you know. I need you to tell me what to do because you're the closest thing to a gay man that I can talk to about this!"

"What do you mean?.." Kagome set down the tray of food the nurse had given her and sat up, paying her full attention to her boyfriend.

"I mean… He's a gay guy, and I'm not. That's got to be the huge communications issue we were having before, I just didn't realize it. He's queer, and so duh, he's really sensitive. So I can say something to him and like, freakin' devastate him without even meaning to!"

"I think you're blowing this a little out of proportion Dogboy, I mean you have been best friends for two years now, and you communicated fine then…"

"Or so I thought." Inuyasha sighed, plopping down on the sofa at the foot of her bed.

Kagome rolled her eyes, almost laughing at her boyfriend's notion that gay men were any different in communication. "Look Inuyasha. It doesn't really matter what you say, as long as he knows you're sorry and that he can be with Jakotsu when he wants. That's the whole point isn't it?"

Inuyasha said nothing, but nodded in agreement with his head in his hands.

"So why don't you just get it over with?" Kagome encouraged him. "You should tell him as soon as you can; it'll make him so happy!"

Kagome gave her boyfriend an understanding smile, sitting up in her bed. "Look, it doesn't matter what you say, as long as he hears it."

Though Inuyasha sat in one of the hospital chairs with his head in his hands, Kagome continued her encouragement.  
"Come on Inubaby! This is going to be so easy once you start, and it'll do so much good!" She whispered, holding out her cell phone to him.

Inuyasha didn't move. He merely sat there, almost afraid of the simple device his girlfriend was offering him.

"But I just found out last night," he protested, not quite proving his point as he'd meant to. "I mean, why so soon? The guy just bought the house, he's barely been gone a day, and- And I'm too nervous today!"

"Well too bad," Kagome laughed, scrolling through her cell phone's number list to find Bankotsu's number.

"Don't Kagome! It'll be so embarrassing!"

"You ready Inubaby?" Kagome teased, selecting the entry named 'Ban-Chan'.  
She covered her mouth, amused giggling muffled only slightly as Inuyasha began to shake his head furiously.

"No, no no. No way in **Hell** am I going to do it over the damn phone!"

"Well then, you'd better get up and go do it in person before I press this button!" She warned, causing her boyfriend to jump out of his seat and hurry towards the door.

"Good luck Sweetie!" Kagome called as the door slid shut behind him.

* * *

Inuyasha sighed heavily as he neared the house, still not knowing what he wanted to say to his room mate once he'd reached it.

"Wow, for once I'm going the speed limit…"  
He mused, distractedly turning into the driveway.

Of course, due to his wonderfully good luck, Bankotsu's car was in the driveway, and his pissed friend was probably waiting right inside for him…

He sat wearily on the front porch, wishing he'd only had more time to contemplate what he had to do. But the sun was setting on Japan, and he had already accepted: It was now or never. His best friend had undoubtedly already suffered more than enough at his expense, and it was time for him to right what he'd wronged.

After sitting still and taking many deep, calming breaths, Inuyasha gathered all that was left of his pride and courage, then pushed the front door open.

To his shock, he was greeted by the loud shattering of two bottles of sake as they smashed on the kitchen floor. Thinking that he'd somehow caused them to fall, Inuyasha hurried into the kitchen, wondering why so many bottles of sake were arranged on the table.

As he surveyed the kitchen, his eyes widened in shock. The remains of many bottles were scattered all along the floor and walls, along with many various objects that belonged in the living room. Some of the glass on the ground had even begun to pile up.

"What the fu-"

He gasped, ducking quickly as a mug flew by his head, bounced off of the counter, and shattered in a pile of broken sake bottles.

Inuyasha stood, turning to the source of the flying mug, and raised an eyebrow at his room mate. Bankotsu was currently sitting in the living room, leaned over the back of the sofa. In one hand he held what looked suspiciously like Inuyasha's own camera, and in the other rested a dark blue bottle of what must've been some sort of alcoholic beverage.

"Dog boy…" Bankotsu mumbled, "Get outta… My way…"

He made a hand gesture as if to tell Inuyasha to move, and he complied, stepping out of the kitchen.  
But as soon as he'd reached the living room, he realized what Bankotsu had been doing.

As his roommate chucked his camera across the room, knocking another bottle of sake from the table, Inuyasha took a step away from him.

"Five hundred eleventy points!"  
Bankotsu announced, turning around to search for something else to throw.

Inuyasha walked over to his friend, nearly tripping over a pile of variously colored empty bottles, all of which looked similar to the one in Bankotsu's hand. He sighed, snatching the blue bottle of liquor from his obviously intoxicated roommate.

"Bankotsu, I think you've had a little too much of this…" He said, though Bankotsu didn't seem to be missing his drink.

"Nuh-uh." Bankotsu shook his head, tossing a couch cushion behind himself and laughing as the sound of more crashing sake bottles filled the room.

"You can n'er have enuf good time fun…And stuff…" He slurred slightly as he found what he'd been searching for: the remote control.

"No, I mean you're freakin' wasted." Inuyasha said, waving a hand in front of his friend's face.

As the last bottle of sake and the now broken television remote fell to the floor, Bankotsu sat back on the couch, proud of himself.

"Fifty hundred… seventy twelve points. My new record." He whispered.  
"But don't tell Jakotsu. He'll try to beat me!"

Inuyasha nodded, sitting beside him. "Alright. I'll keep your secret." He promised, leaning over to check his friend's half-lidded eyes.  
"And speaking of Jakotsu, I need to talk to you about him… So maybe-"

"He's gaaaay!" Bankotsu announced stressing the 'a' for as long as possible.  
"Like really gay I mean he's so…gay…and…stuff."

"Well yeah." Inuyasha agreed. "But that's not what I mean, so if you-"

"I like him lots…and lots…"Bankotsu confessed, leaning toward his friend.  
"I like you lots too… But Jakotsu is not.. A doggy boy… He's mega mega cute when he's asleep and he has big, big pretty eyes that I like… and stuff… Like big like yours."

He reached out to touch the 'big pretty' eyes, but luckily Inuyasha was smart enough to back up. Unfortunately for him however, Bankotsu didn't stop leaning toward him.

Gingerly, Inuyasha caught his friend, holding him so that his weight didn't fall on his own lap, as it was threatening to.

Bankotsu didn't seem to notice this however, and merely leaned closer.  
"You're pretty like… like my Jakotsu…" He whispered, a hand in Inuyasha's silver hair.

"I'm gonna call you Ja-Chan and play with your pretty hair…"

Inuyasha sighed as his room mate pinned him to the couch, proceeding to stroke his hair and speak to him as if he were a puppy.

"So the truth comes out of the closet huh?" Inuyasha shrugged, remembering that he'd never seen Bankotsu drunk before. "I always wondered why you only drank in the morning, when I'm not around…"

"Gimme back my yumminess stuffs!" Bankotsu whined, releasing his hair and reaching for the bottle his roommate was holding from his reach.

"I would," Inuyasha said, "If I weren't afraid you'd start thinking up new games to play with it…"

He cut Bankotsu off, before he had a chance to continue his slurred whining.  
"Now what has gotten into you Bankotsu? I've never seen you this drunk…"

Bankotsu said nothing as he began to run his fingers, again, through Inuyasha's long hair.

"Are you…" Inuyasha began, trying to simplify the question for his drunk friend.

"Sad?"

Bankotsu nodded, his eyes glazed over, but still concentrated on Inuyasha's hair.

"Why?"

Bankotsu sat still, a hand to his head. "I- I dun…"

"You don't remember?"  
Inuyasha asked, sitting up and forcing him to keep his hands to himself.

"No…" Bankotsu began, ready to start his loud whining all over again. But to his joy, Inuyasha released his hands and allowed him to run them through his hair.

"Why are you sad?" He asked again. "You remember why. You said so."

"Am I 'sposed to tell?" Bankotsu questioned, more to himself than his friend, sitting before him.

"Yeah, you can tell me." Inuyasha assured him. "Why wouldn't you?"

"My.. I.. Jakotsu… I think my Jakotsu said… it…"

"Oh…" Inuyasha cut him off. "If Jakotsu told you not to say it then don't."

"No…" Bankotsu mumbled, lying his head in Inuyasha's lap, as if he did so often.  
"I miss my Jakotsu…" He whimpered, causing his friend to grow uncomfortable as he wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Oh." Inuyasha began, trying to get him to sit back up.  
"Well that's no big deal. I'll take you to see him if you can get up…"

"No." Bankotsu sighed, not even thinking about vacating his comfortable spot on his friend's lap. "He's far… far away… far… far…"

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked, becoming annoyed with him.  
"He's a couple of minutes away. The house we picked is right near your college remember?"

"No…" Bankotsu mumbled, wiping his eyes on Inuyasha's pants and causing him to groan with disgust.

"Um… yes." Inuyasha scoffed.. "He's sitting at home doing nothing because without you he has no life… which is the whole reason I'm here, I meant t-"

"No!" Bankotsu whined, cutting him off. "My Jakotsu is flying away… to stupid A-merry-ka."

"What!" Inuyasha glared down at Bankotsu, who seemed to be falling asleep in his lap.  
He shook his friend by the shoulder, trying to keep him awake.

"What do you mean, America?… Bankotsu!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, standing from the sofa as his friend pushed himself, confused, up onto his palms.

"Huh?…" Bankotsu shook his head, Inuyasha leaning over quickly to keep him from falling from the sofa.  
"Oh, I was sleepy, sleepy…"

Before Inuyasha could say anything else, his friend seemed to nod off again, eyes sliding shut.  
So carefully, he rolled him over, and lifted the younger man into his arms.

Bankotsu's glazed eyes slid closed, and he snuggled against Inuyasha's chest.

"So Jakotsu left you for America?" Inuyasha scoffed, unable to believe his words.  
"Some lover…"

"Nuh-uh…" Bankotsu mumbled, almost shocking Inuyasha into dropping him.  
"I thought you were asl-"

"My Jakotsu is good… He loves me…" Bankotsu stated confidently, not caring that he'd cut him off.

Inuyasha's cheeks colored slightly, and he stood from the sofa, then began to carry Bankotsu toward his room, skillfully avoiding the many broken objects scattered across the floor.

"But… that guy.. His wedding is in America… so my Jakotsu had to go…" Bankotsu continued his mumbled explanation as Inuyasha lay him in his bed.  
"But he said he would hurry back… and that he promised he still loved me…"

Inuyasha said nothing, helping to fold the comforters over him.

"And I promised I still loved him too…"  
Bankotsu nodded, rolling over and snuggling into his pillow.

"All right." Inuyasha whispered, stepping back and wishing Bankotsu would stop talking so he could leave the room. His eyes were beginning to burn...  
"I understand now…"

Bankotsu nodded, the sadness in his voice overcome by his tired mind.  
"Imma be alone now… for a long… long time…"

"He'll be back." Inuyasha assured him, guilt pooling before his eyes, obscuring his vision.  
"And while he's gone, I promise I'll let you play with my hair as much as you like..."

A gentle smile graced the younger man's lips as he lifted one hand and ran his fingers through the silver tresses which obscured his friend's reddened eyes. But Inuyasha, sober or not, could not have grinned then for anything in the world.  
His head bowed lower still, vision blurred, and whispered the truth he'd so longed to speak.  
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry I kept you away from him." He admitted, sitting weakly next to his own, occupied bed.

Feeling as if his own energy had been sapped, he allowed the guilt to slide down his face. At least, he reasoned, it was finally said. He was sorry. Sorry for every cold night and lonely morning; sorry for every single word his best friend had only been able to say with his eyes. For every emotion he was not allowed to express...

"I'm such a fuck up…"  
He blinked slowly, able to taste the bitterness of his words as the salty tears met his pursed lips.

Bankotsu let out a gentle sigh, his hand falling limply to the mattress he lie on.  
"Nuh-uh, you're not…"He replied groggily.

Inuyasha nodded, and a fleeting smile lit his features as his best friend mumbled one more thing before falling into a deep sleep.

"You're good too… Just like my Jakotsu."

(AN. Sometimes we ignore the notions of being "Too little too late."

Sometimes we don't realize what we've got until it's gone

Humanity lives on, repeating its mistakes again and again

And yet there is still the hope of making things right

that hope is the source of everything even now

the strength to carry on, the will to live

That hope is all we really have. )


	22. Too Late

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.  
- sincerely,  
Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. I'm finally back with a bang! I'm thrilled to know so many of you still enjoy my stories! So, without further ado I give you a brand spanking new chapter of Never Again! It's almost over. Things are wrapping up so nicely. I can't thank you enough for bringing me back to life! All I can do is write. So write I shall.

Also, this chapter is a songfic chapter! The song featured is "I know the truth" from the Broadway Play Aida. In the play, it is performed by the princess who is distraught at learning that the two main characters were in love all along.

Fitting, I should say. But my opinion doesn't matter! Review and tell me what **you** think!)

**Never Again**

**Chapter Twenty Two- A Little Too Late**

"Last night he nearly knocked me out! That coffee mug was centimeters from my face!"

"Well you have to talk to him, Inuyasha! You can't just let him lay there.  
He could be… suffering from depression, skipping class, plotting ways to kill himself…  
He might've even tried… or succumbed to alcohol poisoning!"

"I checked on him an hour ago. He looks pretty… alive…"

Inuyasha sighed, wishing his girlfriend would stop overreacting.

"I feel bad enough without you and your worst-case scenarios Kagome!"

"I'm sorry." she said simply, forcing herself to calm down. "But he's been depressed like that for a week now, and… Well it seems like he's not going to get any better."

"Well he was just laying around for a while, and he's only been _really _drunk twice since Jakotsu left. Once the night of that same day, and then again last night he was really messed up… I mean, he's stopped leaving the house but he still won't even speak to me.  
Maybe he just wants some alone time…"

"But he needs someone to talk to! You know even Jakotsu hasn't been calling."

"Yeah," Inuyasha sighed, admitting his worry. "That's what's really bothering me…  
You'd think his lover boy would've called at least once a week…"

"I know, and I even tried to call and tell Jakotsu that he needed to call, but when I called him this morning… Some recording said the number was 'temporarily unavailable'…"

"Yeah, don't remind me…" Inuyasha mumbled, popping an aspirin into his mouth.

"I must've called him two dozen times so far. I don't know what kind of bullshit that is.  
I mean, his cell is supposed to have long distance!"

Inuyasha let out a long sigh, fighting the urge to pour some more of the pain-killing relief down his throat.

"I guess I was fooling myself..." He admitted, "Wishing Bankotsu was just too drunk to know what was really going on when he said that Jakotsu had left him…"

"Well I didn't believe it either. I was hoping you were kidding when you told m-"

"God, I am such a fuck up! Why can't I do anything right?!

This is all my fault!"

Frustrated, he slumped against the wall, letting himself slide down it until he sat weakly on the ground. _'I fucked up… everything.' _

It had become much easier to admit, as he'd lain in his bed throughout the long nights, thinking of ways he could've prevented what had happened.

In the end he could only wonder 'how?'. How could he have passed up so many opportunities, how could he not have seen the truth? How…

_How have I come to this?_

_How did I slip and fall?_

How could he have let his best friend fall into such a miserable state?  
Even if Bankotsu and Jakotsu had been _just _friends, it was obvious that they were miserable without each other.  
So why would Bankotsu have thought, for even a moment, that Inuyasha would want his precious friend to be so far away?

Surely he knew that his best friend would've opposed it for his own good..

But apparently he did not. Due to Inuyasha's bitterness toward the effeminate man, Bankotsu must've assumed that it wouldn't even have been necessary to warn of his departure.

As if Inuyasha wouldn't have missed him at all…

Maybe, at the time, he truly wouldn't have.  
But eventually he would've noticed his best friend's depression and regretted it...

Still, what was it that he had done to make Bankotsu feel that way?

How cruel must he have been?..

_How did I throw half his life blood away_

_Without any thought at all?_

"God, I am such a fuck up! Fuck up! Fuck up! Fu-!"

Kagome pulled her cell phone from her ear, hoping her distressed boyfriend wouldn't notice.  
She tried to clear her head and find a solution to their problem, but nothing presented itself, and half her mind remained clouded with guilt.

If she'd only told Inuyasha about his roommates when she'd first found out.  
Maybe she hadn't been entirely sure that they were together at the time, but at least she could've given him a possible heads up…

Those poor boys. All they'd wanted was to be together, after two years of separation. And they were finally given the chance, only to have it ruined by the bitterness between Jakotsu and Inuyasha.

And then, in the end, when it was too late, the truth was revealed.

Inuyasha would never have had a problem with the effeminate sweetheart if only he'd been told the truth.

So essentially, though Inuyasha still felt the guilt, it had been Bankotsu's own fault, for not trusting his best friend. Surely he had good reasons for what he had hidden, but they were beyond Kagome. All she knew was what had happened, instead of what could've been a perfectly comfortable lifestyle

The two men had waited so long, and paid the price fitted to their union.  
They deserved to be together. And yet, it was not meant to be…

_This should've been their time_

_It's over, it never began_

"Are you even fucking listening to me anymore, Kagome!?"

She lifted the cell phone back to her ear with a sigh, as her boyfriend continued rambling.

"Or are you listening but silently laughing, wondering why it took me so long to figure this out? Have you finally realized that you're dating a complete dumb ass?"

"Inuyasha…'

"I mean seriously, your boyfriend, who passed sociology and psychology with flying colors last year, did not realize that his own damn roommates were sleeping together!"

"Inuyasha, you couldn't possibly have known…"

"Because I didn't see! I didn't want to see!"

He brought a hand up quickly to wipe hard at his eyes, as if wanting to punish them for watering so much. Or for not having seen the truth…  
"I've had my eyes fuckin' half-closed for months, Kagome…"

This confession spoken, he brought a hand to his forehead, thinking that the headache he had right now was what he deserved for being so blind…

_I closed my eyes to so much for so long_

_And I no longer can_

Kagome sighed, trying to calm him down. This situation wasn't the fault of just Inuyasha, and he needed to know that… "But don't forget. It wasn't as if Bankotsu wanted you to see. He did keep it hidden from you after all."

"Yeah, since I was acting like such an ass!" He retorted, sitting up.  
"Poor Bankotsu probably just didn't want me calling him a 'fudge packer'…."

Kagome frowned, realizing she'd been beat. "Well that's probably true…"

"Yeah…"

The line fell silent as both of them fell back into deep thought.

Absently, Inuyasha tipped some more aspirin into his mouth, but paused before swallowing them. _'Oh, I've already taken like five of these, haven't I?' _He questioned himself. Scoffing, he dropped the bottle, watching the little white pills scatter across the floor as he spit the rest of them back out.

'_If we don't pull our shit together one of us is gonna be dead by the end of this week…'_

Inuyasha crawled timidly from his room, glancing worriedly at Bankotsu's closed bedroom door for what must've been the thousandth time that day.

'_If only he wouldn't be sober when he comes out of there… ' _He thought to himself, contemplating. _'Maybe if I just left some sake at his bedside…'_

"So what're you gonna say to him when he gets up?" Kagome questioned, interrupting her boyfriend's scheming.

"That um…" Inuyasha began, pulling back into his own room.  
"That he's dreaming… and therefore needs to get back in bed."

"Inuyasha!"

"What?!" He yelled hoarsely, getting away from the door.  
"Why don't you come talk to him if it's so easy!?'

Kagome sighed, trying to calm him down. "I never said it would be easy.  
It's just that it's what you really need to do…" she explained, audibly worrying as she began to chew her nails.

"You have to say something."

"Well-" Inuyasha sighed in defeat. "What do I say?"

"Well first off, you need to apologize. Say you're sorry-"

"-I'm sorry!? That's all the advice you have for me?!"  
He asked, trying not to raise his voice too much.  
"Kagome I could've just gone out and bought a cheesy Hallmark card for that!"

"Well that's not all you have to say!" Kagome scoffed, becoming literally 'impatient with his impatience.' "Just tell him the truth about what you saw and then… Just do it.  
You really can't plan these sorts of things out."

Inuyasha groaned at that. "This is just my luck, isn't it? Or Karma.  
Buddha… or God must hate me, whichever…"

_I try to blame it on fortune_

_Some kind of shift in a star_

"Inuyasha don't be such a baby." His girlfriend reprimanded. "Don't blame God."

"Alright, alright."

"And besides, I thought you were blaming yourself for all of this mess.  
Now all of a sudden it's Kami-sama?! This makes no sen-"

"Shush!" Inuyasha suddenly whispered, pulling the phone to himself as he peeked gingerly into the hallway.

To his distress, he realized that his room mate's door had slid open, and from the muffled sound of footsteps coming from within, he could tell that the man inside was very much awake.

"Oh no, he's up!"  
Inuyasha breathed into his cell phone, once he'd stood and withdrawn safely into his own room.

"Ohmigoshgotalktohim!"  
Kagome whispered hurriedly, feeling her boyfriend's restlessness.

"Nu-uh!" Inuyasha shook his head, though she couldn't see.  
"Can't I just talk to you?..' He nearly whimpered, his best friend's/future assassin's footprints now audible from the hallway.

But Kagome merely scoffed, giving him only three more words of encouragement.

"Go do it."

With that said, she flipped her cell phone closed, leaving her poor boyfriend to listen to dead, electronic humming in his ear.

Inuyasha tossed his cell phone onto his bed, running his hands nervously through his hair.

Deciding that there was no helping the situation, he forced himself to just follow Kagome's advice. Without thinking, he stepped out into the hallway, walking toward the front of the house.

Unfortunately for him, however, there was quite a large object in his path of travel.  
Bankotsu seemed to be kneeled over in pain on the carpet, his head held securely in his own hands.

Inuyasha said nothing, but walked silently nearer to him.  
Bankotsu was muttering to himself again, though his words were not slurred as Inuyasha remembered from the night before.

"Oh God, my heaaaaaad…" He moaned, allowing said body part to hit the ground, hard.  
A pained whimper escaped him as he continued speaking, as if interrogating the carpet fibers.

"Why am I awake? Why am I sober… Why am I even alive?! Oh… ouch."

Inuyasha frowned, gazing upon the mess he'd made of his closest friend.  
How different this awful morning could've turned out. But there was nothing he could do to change it. The past wasn't to be altered, though he was free to regret it all he wanted.  
And he would, he knew, allow such a past to torment his mind.

_But I know the truth, and it haunts me_

_It's flown just a little too far_

Shaking his regret off, Inuyasha took a step forward, leaning down to place a hand on Bankotsu's shoulder.

Upon feeling his touch, Bankotsu bolted up from his position, doubled over on the ground, only to find that the sudden movement had made him very dizzy.

With a sickening moan he keeled over backwards, at his best friend's feet.

When his eyes slid open, they met those of his shocked room mate, but neither said anything. Inuyasha merely reached out to help him and he accepted his hand, finally able to stand up, with his aid.

A hand still attached to the side of his head, Bankotsu walked off, into the kitchen, only to hit the floor once again, having slipped on the deep pool of sake on the ground.

"Well damn." He chuckled, finally finding something to say to his room mate.

"Good morning indeed…"

He turned to Inuyasha, standing up and glancing around for some type of pain reliever.  
The broken bottles of sake lay all across the table, and among them a tiny bottle of Excedrin.

"I must've been _beyond_ smashed, if I played that game again…"

"Umm…" Inuyasha mumbled, turning away from him.

"That bad?.." Bankotsu hopped over a fairly large pile of broken glass, snatching the Excedrin from the counter. "I can never find the aspirin…"

Four pills later and two mugs of coffee later, Bankotsu sat, sprawled out, on the living room sofa, a Strawberry Daiquiri in his hand. Apparently he had not yet learned his lesson when it came to alcohol…

But still, the situation was a favorable one. Perfect for Inuyasha to admit what he'd learned of his best friend and his lover… Because of his own volition, he was drinking again, and he seemed lighthearted, laughing freely at a variety show on TV.

But he wouldn't be laughing when he learned the truth of what Inuyasha had both seen and heard that night. Maybe he really shouldn't tell that he'd been spying on him……

Bankotsu turned casually to Inuyasha, who was still standing timidly at the entrance of the hallway, and signaled for him to come into the living room.

Shocked out of his thoughts, Inuyasha complied, being careful to avoid the masses of broken objects on the floor of the kitchen.  
He sat nervously before his room mate, on the carpet, his legs crossed beneath him.

"I didn't throw up or anything, did I?"

Bankotsu asked, switching off the television.

Inuyasha shook his head, turning away from him. But Bankotsu continued to question him, almost intrigued by his own behavior.

"Did I fall over anything? Or break something? Oh, that was a stupid question.  
I mean, did I break anything important?…"

Bankotsu frowned at Inuyasha's constantly shaking head.

"Did I at least say something weird?"

In response to this question, Inuyasha froze up, not daring to move or say anything.

He suddenly realized a new possibility! He didn't have to admit to his spying after all!

"Well…" He mumbled, indicating that Bankotsu had 'said something weird' in his intoxicated state.  
His interest piqued, Bankotsu leaned forward, closer to his room mate, and repeated the question. "Inuyasha… Did I say something?"

Inuyasha's hands drew automatically to the back of his neck, and he turned away from Bankotsu, shame lighting his cheeks.

He knew what he wanted to tell; what he _needed_ to say…

_I know the truth and it mocks me_

_I know the truth and it shocks me_

_But I learned it a little too late…_

"I'm sorry."

Was the only sentence he could force out.

"Sorry for what? Bankotsu questioned, trying to get him to turn back around.  
"Inuyasha, look at me…"

Inuyasha did turn to face him, but his eyes remained downcast, focused on his roommate's feet. He hadn't noticed before… that Bankotsu tended to paint his toenails…

"I'm.. Sorry for talking to you… While you were like that."

At this Bankotsu started, having caught on. "I said something I didn't want you to hear."

Inuyasha nodded, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. His mind was working quickly.  
He knew that now was the time for him to take his chances and cut his losses.

If he told Bankotsu that he'd heard the truth from him rather than having spied on him to figure it out, surely it'd soften the emotional blow…

After all, he'd seen the truth the night before Jakotsu left, and if he'd admitted it sooner, they'd still be together… He'd messed up, badly. He had to lie… But to lie to someone he'd already hurt so much. Was such a path the best to take?

He found himself praying, to whatever god that may hear, for Jakotsu to just come back.  
And bring with him the joy his best friend truly deserved.

The one that didn't require lies and intoxication…

'_But that wouldn't happen.' _he told himself_, ' Jakotsu had left his lover, and didn't even care enough to call. So why bother with such a prayer?'_

_Why do I want him still?_

_Why when there's nothing there?_

"Inuyasha, tell me." Bankotsu interrupted his thoughts, a hand cupping his chin.

He noticed the pink tint on his best friend's face, but he had figured out the cause of it.

"I said something 'queer', didn't I?"

His blush deepening, Inuyasha nodded. "You said and did just about the same queer things you did the last time you were wasted." He stated. then tried to pull away from him, but Bankotsu didn't allow him to do so. "Except…"

"Except what?" Bankotsu urged, "Tell me exactly what I said…"  
He set his daiquiri down, leaning forward and trying to look him in the eye.

"You…" Inuyasha mumbled, not meeting his gaze. "You told me I had pretty eyes, and you kept playing with my hair… And you told me that Jakotsu… That you…"

"What?" Bankotsu insisted, urging him to continue.

But Inuyasha cast his eyes downward, having no idea of what to tell him.

No, he couldn't tell him the truth. How disgusted would he be if Bankotsu knew he could've put a stop to his sorely missed lover's departure?

Inuyasha knew he'd discovered the truth just in time to save him, but had held it in for so long… It was too late to admit!  
He decided then that he would have to play it off. To hold it in, though he knew not how he'd manage to do so.

_How to go on with the rest of my life_

_To pretend I don't care?_

"Inuyasha talk to me." Bankotsu insisted, cupping his cheek.  
His best friend started, immediately pulling away from his touch.

But he didn't allow him to stay away for long. Instead, he grabbed the dog-like man by the collar and pulled him closer, forcing him to keep eye contact.

Finally Bankotsu was sick of hiding, ready and willing to be truthful.  
Jakotsu was no longer around, and so there was nothing to protect his best friend from his pent-up frustration.

At this point, the truth already hurt so badly that nothing else could harm him.  
So what if Inuyasha would leave, or stop talking to his 'deceitful, lying, faggot of a best friend.'?

_This should've been my time_

_It's over, it never began_

Bankotsu leaned in, closer to the almost scared other man, and spoke, his voice more tired than his eyes. The hoarse whisper echoed his desperation.

"I bet you hate me now. I bet there's nothing I could even do to make this worse..."

Golden eyes widened in shock as Bankotsu slid a hand down his side, and Inuyasha flinched, not letting his friend pull him closer.

"Don't!" He gasped , trying not to sound as uncomfortable as he really was.  
"I don't- I don't hate you. I'm sorry, Bankotsu. I really am. "

His friend let out a heavy sigh, and to Inuyasha's intense relief, stopped ushering him closer. But still he held a firm grip on the older man's arm. "Let's not run away anymore…."

Their eyes met, and both fell very still for a moment, until Bankotsu was ready to speak.

"I'm sure you know this, already," he began, gazing into his wide eyes, "judging by the fact that you're suddenly so uncomfortable with being this close to me…"

Inuyasha nodded, preferring that Bankotsu have the chance to get what he needed off of his own chest.

"I may as well tell you about my true self now, while I'm sober.  
And please, just listen. Don't move anymore. It's not like I'll hurt you or anything…"

"Alright…" Inuyasha whispered, trying not to stammer. "I'll- I'll stay."

Bankotsu let out a deep breath which he hadn't known he'd been holding, then began his explanation.  
"Well first off, and don't take this the wrong way, my friend… But I've always thought that you were cute. Always."

At this Inuyasha's cheeks began to heat up, a light flush lighting his features.  
"I had no ide- You never said that. Even while you were drunk…"  
He tried to look away, if only to lessen his best friend's embarrassment, but Bankotsu didn't allow him to do so.

_I closed my eyes to so much for so long_

_And I no longer can_

"Well I'm saying it now, so just listen to me." he insisted, still holding him securely. He chose his words carefully, then continued.  
"When we met, I knew, even then, that you were a bit… discriminatory. But still, you've always had a great sense of humor, and you were always so fun to be around.  
I figured I'd just pretend to be straight. After all, I adored everything about you, and knew I wanted to be with you. If not for meeting you, I would've been miserable, living alone while attending my college classes…"

He paused, not daring to release his hold on his companion, even when the tears began to escape his tired eyes.

"Inuyasha you saved me. You kept me alive.

When I came here I had nothing, I'd lost so much, even my hope. My precious Jakotsu had finally gotten out of the hospital only to be readmitted to a… college in another state. I don't even know what the place was called. But I thought we'd be separated for years. And to tell you the truth, I doubted we'd meet again. You see, it's my fault he had to stay so long in the hospital. It was because of me...  
So I wanted to stay away, for his own sake. I'd give up all of my hope and happiness, but then…

Then you came along. You, with your gorgeous eyes and long hair, walked right into me on the street."

He paused, choking on a sob. And Inuyasha sat on his knees, putting a hand to the one Bankotsu had closed over his cheek. The memory returned easily, and he finally realized that indeed, Bankotsu had been blushing at him, the day they met…

The two just happened to be on the same street, running in opposite directions. Bankotsu was late for class and Inuyasha, a date with destiny. They collided just as Inuyasha rounded the corner, and Bankotsu hit the ground, hard, his books tumbling into the street.

Apologizing profusely, Inuyasha had knelt to pick them up, stacking them neatly in front of the blushing other man who silently stared up at him for a moment. Then he seemed to find his voice. "Thank you…" he whispered, bowing his head as a telling blush began to light his cheeks.

Inuyasha cocked his head as Bankotsu interrupted his trip down memory lane.

"I guess I was acting kind of gay," He mused. "And I'm sorry I didn't help you pick up my books. I was too busy watching you, to get up.  
I swear I'd never seen anyone so gorgeous. And then you started hanging out with me after class and I got to know you.

Your personality… You reminded me of Jakotsu, always so full of energy.

And that's why I wanted so much to be your friend. I wanted to always be able to look at you and remember him, even though I wanted to give up on him. I don't know why… But I did love it.  
And when you agreed to rent the house with me, I thought I was the luckiest man on earth."

"Yeah right." Inuyasha sighed  
"Lucky you met the guy that ruined everything for you…"

_I try to blame it on fortune_

_Some kind of twist in my fate_

_But I know the truth and it haunts me_

_I learned it a little too late_

"Yes, I was very lucky." Bankotsu explained. "Because it gave me hope. I mean hey, if I was lucky enough to get an awesome roommate like you, who's to say I couldn't find a way right back to Jakotsu, _my_ Jakotsu? Why should time and distance keep us apart when I was living with the very part of him that I thought I'd never see again?

I could touch him, see him every day. And if I just took your hand, pulled myself out of depression, and just put my mind to it, I knew I'd be able to truly meet him again.

You gave me **hope**, Inuyasha"

Bankotsu smiled, despite the tears which had begun to flow down his face.  
"Yes I love him, whether I said it last night or not, I don't care anymore.

I've _always_ loved Jakotsu. And I miss him now, more even than the light of day.  
I'd stay cooped up like this for the rest of my life, if it meant I could be with him."

Through his tears he laughed, finally admitting what he'd always wanted to.

"Inuyasha, I am just as straight as the rainbow itself."

Finally Bankotsu released him, bringing his hands up to cover his own face.  
He sobbed miserably into his own palms, unable to calm himself, and Inuyasha sat back, watching him with such remorse that he wished he could be the one to let his tears fall.

_I know the truth and it mocks me..  
_

Inuyasha stood quickly, taking a seat on the couch beside his distraught friend.

"It's alright Bankotsu." He assured, resting his hands on his knees.  
"Suikotsu told me before, that Jakotsu really loved you. And if it's true, if he didn't want to hurt you and really cared about you, I… I don't have a problem with it…"

Bankotsu immediately pulled his hands from his face in order to gaze at his best friend.  
He wiped his reddened eyes, though his tears hadn't let up, and merely stared.

_I know the truth and it shocks me  
_

Finally Bankotsu blinked hard, and let out a bitter laugh.  
"It figures you'd say something like that!" He scoffed, teeth grit.  
"And here it is, too late for anything… Here I am, after just giving up my hope in you."

_I learned it a little…  
_

He leaned over, resting his head on Inuyasha's shoulder.  
He did not pull away this time, and allowed himself to fall back onto the couch cushions, Bankotsu settling himself comfortably atop him.  
The two friends lay there for a moment, reveling in the warmth of their delicate embrace, one of them still finding himself unable to calm down.

"After I'd been so disappointed in you for disliking my Jakotsu…" The black-headed man admitted, "You are the best friend I thought you were all along. I'd hoped you would get along with him, even without knowing about us. Because I wanted to stay near you…"

_too late  
_

"What- What do you mean?" Inuyasha whispered, voice disbelieving.

"You can't possibly-"

"It's too late now, Inuyasha…" Bankotsu sighed, sniffing. He released him, sitting up to wipe his reddened eyes once more.  
"I'm really going to miss you. But you know, they even allow gay marriage in some parts of America…"

"W- Wait," Inuyasha gasped, sitting up, "what do you mean B-"

"I'm going to find Jakotsu in America and stay there." He explained,  
"We'll leave it all behind. The memories, disappointments, the prejudice, the pain in the ass college curriculum… Everything."

Their eyes met, blue saddened determination burning into golden shock.

"I'm going to leave Japan behind."

_too late._

(AN. The past can be a terrifying mistress

It's so hard to move on, past that

merciless, ever-spinning cycle.

It repeats itself, again and again

and you know it always will

The past is as a clock,  
moving constantly in a hopeless circle

And maybe there really isnt a way

to move past the pain of that ever repeating day)


	23. Sequel

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world.

- sincerely,

Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. After months of hiatus, Never Again has finally come back home. To everyone that emailed me, requesting a continuation; here is your answer. Yes, yes and yes! I live for you, my readers.

Please also note that this is just the beginning of chapter one of the sequel! If you have Never Again on alert, please take a moment to add Never Again II!

As always, please Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Chapter One: Reminiscence; The Reason You Lie**

Bankotsu lie on his bed, a bottle of sake hanging loosely in his hand. He was shivering slightly, shocked that he had found the guts to tell the truth about himself.

Somewhere in his mind a loud voice bugged him still. He couldn't stand for his friends to know about him. What if… what if he got Jakotsu hurt again?

Memories of high school suddenly flooded his mind, after being pent up for so long.  
The truth he had been hiding, the source of his anxiety and fear came to the surface.

He was terrified of leaving Jakotsu in America in Hiten and Suzaku's house.  
Maybe Jakotsu was brave and forgiving, but to this day Bankotsu just couldn't let go of the fear.

Hiten, his so-called best friend had betrayed him on their last week of high school.  
As if it were a movie, that day returned to him, clear and unrelenting….

He was back in high school…

* * *

Bankotsu dug slowly through his locker, wondering where in the world he'd put his history textbook.

Before long, he gave up his seemingly futile search, closing his locker with a frustrated sigh. He stared vacantly at his locker number for a moment, pondering.

"Number Four twenty-two…"

For some reason, which he couldn't place, he felt as though this locker was not his, though he knew the combination by heart.

"Fifteen, eighteen, three…"

He toyed with the lock for a moment, but stopped when he realized that someone was standing right behind himself. He turned around quickly to face one of his best friends, Hiten Raiyuki; the star quarterback.

"Hey man!" Hiten greeted him, holding out his hand in preparation for their favorite friendly handshake.

Bankotsu stood there, awkwardly explaining that he was unable to recall how such a handshake was performed. But Hiten seemed unsurprised by this and merely laughed.

"It's all right man. I know you're still a little shook up, after what happened."

Bankotsu nodded meekly, not having a clue what he was talking about.  
His friend took a step closer to him and he got the sudden, inexplicable urge to back away.

"After school today," Hiten began, a malicious grin forming on his face.  
"Go to the girl's bathroom on two hundred hall. Me and a few buddies are gonna leave you a little… gift in there."

With a glowing smile and a wink to his best friend, Hiten turned and began to walk off.  
"It'll be so great you'll forget all about the stupid prom!" He called over his shoulder, though Bankotsu hadn't heard him over the loud bell which alerted him to the fact that he was officially tardy for his first class.

He watched confusedly as Hiten hurried off to his class, wondering if his friend might be tripping again. Hiten had been known, after all, to experiment with hallucinogens.  
Shrugging the thought off, Bankotsu followed his example, running off, already tardy, to his own class.

When he entered the room, a full five minutes after the tardy bell, his entire class fell silent. And once he'd taken his seat, his least favorite, strictest bitch-of-a-teacher walked right up to his desk.

Bankotsu winced, prepared to receive a loud, long lecture about punctuality, but it never came. When he opened his eyes his teacher was leaned in close to him, a very uncharacteristically worried frown on her face.

She spoke quietly and kindly to him, something which had never happened before.  
"Are you all right?" she asked, trying to get a better look at his eyes.

"Do you need to go… to a counselor, perhaps?"

Bankotsu sat in silence and without even acknowledging what he was doing, nodded mechanically. His foul teacher left his side immediately, to his relief, and returned mere seconds later, leaving a slip of paper on his desk before going back to lecture the class.

"During the war of 1812..." She began, but Bankotsu wasn't listening.

He gazed curiously at the slip of paper, reading what she'd written on it.

"Pass to the counselors.  
Time: as long as needed  
Date: April 29th  
Student: ________________"

Bankotsu's eyes scanned over her official signature before he signed his own name on the little slip. He then stood, gathering his school supplies, and promptly left the room.

He wandered aimlessly around the halls for a while, thinking over the strange behavior of all of his classmates, and apparently, his teachers as well.

Some of them had carefully avoided him, as if he were diseased, and others had shamelessly stared at him or turned quickly to gossip to their friends about him…

What was there to say anyway?  
Bankotsu had always been an average high school student.  
Besides his tendency to hang out with the Star quarterback and school queer at the same time, there wasn't anything that any of his peers had to say about his… uniqueness…

He paused as a sudden thought occurred to him.  
As for the high school queer; Bankotsu was quite certain that his secret boyfriend, Jakotsu, had recently borrowed his missing history book.  
Perhaps he still had it…

He swiftly changed direction, flashing his hall pass at yet another of the bored assistant principles patrolling the deserted hallways. He headed straight for the girl's bathroom on the two-hundred hall, as that was where Jakotsu was most often found.

To Bankotsu, it didn't matter if he was there or not, because he had plenty of time to just sit and wait for him.  
It was inevitable; Jakotsu would show up here, in his favorite, the last stall. And he'd sit there for at least an hour, writing one of his diary entries, reapplying makeup or listening to music on his portable CD player.

When he entered the light pink room, Bankotsu was pleased to see that his boyfriend was sitting on the sinks, applying his usual purple eyeliner.

"Hey there pretty lady."  
Bankotsu greeted him, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend from behind.

To his disappointment, Jakotsu didn't laugh as he usually did, but in fact flinched, almost as if the touch had burned him.  
He turned around immediately, dropping his hip pouch so that his makeup scattered across the floor, and proceeded to try to jump from the sink, intending to get as far from his boyfriend as he could.

"Whoa!" Bankotsu gasped, grabbing hold of him before he got the chance to hop down.  
He held Jakotsu securely to himself, waiting for him to calm down.

He did so after a few moments, but remained very tense, and had even begun to shiver slightly. "All right, what's the matter Aisuru?"  
Bankotsu questioned, holding him securely to the sinks.

Jakotsu first glanced nervously around the room, as if worried that someone had entered without his knowing. Then, satisfied that he and his lover were alone, wrapped his arms around Bankotsu, nuzzling his face into the soft fabric which covered his chest.

With the steady heartbeat of the love of his life so near, Jakotsu felt safe enough to confide in him, whispering an explanation  
"I was told to stay far away from you, Ban-chan…"

"By who?" His companion asked, thoroughly confused.  
"And why would anyone want you to do that, anyway?"

"I don't know…" Jakotsu shook his head gently.  
"But it was one of those awful football players. He called me a pedophile too…"

"Well that's no big surprise." Bankotsu chuckled. "You know there're always rumors flying around. High school just sucks like that. I don't see why you'd let them bother you now…"

"Because they're true…" Jakotsu whimpered, "What if they've found out about us…"

"You worry to much…" Bankotsu assured his still slightly shivering companion.  
But the older man said nothing in return, having fallen very silent.

"What's gotten into you?" He whispered, pulling him closer. "Aren't you supposed to be the hyper, loud one? Isn't that what I loved so much about you to begin with?"

Jakotsu loosened his hold on the man before him, leaning back.  
"I'm sorry…" he mumbled, turning to make sure he wasn't getting wrinkles.  
His boyfriend leaned over his shoulder, hands on his arms, and smiled at their reflection.

"Picture perfect." He stated, turning to plant a kiss on his love's cheek.  
"And why should we care who doesn't think we are?"

Jakotsu offered a slight, emotion-laden smile, and when his face fell again, Bankotsu took it into his hands, gently coaxing him into meeting his gaze.  
"Why you're so upset… we can talk about it tonight, right?"

He cast his eyes from Bankotsu's, nodding as his tired eyes slid shut.  
"Not at your house though…" He said, causing his frustrated boyfriend to scoff.

"My parents do not hate you Aisuru! They just-"  
"-Hate my fucking guts." Jakotsu finished for him. "They get sick at the mere sight of the fag that infected their precious son."

"That is not true," Bankotsu insisted. "Mother is just a bit… concerned."

"Prejudiced."

At this, Bankotsu groaned, wishing he only knew the true cause of his precious lover's depression. "Well Aisuru," he began, his arms around his neck.  
"You are twenty-one now… It should be hard for any parent to just let their son leave home to go live with an older man. And besides, my mother hadn't even seen you for years before school started last fall."

"She's known me since I was born. And she was best friends with my parents…"

"Well yes, but she still doesn't know you as personally as she'd like to…"

At this point, Jakotsu hopped down from the sink and began to gather his makeup.  
"She'd better get over herself before graduation." he stated, fixing his hip pouch back in its rightful spot, against his side. "Because I will take you away from that place. After graduation I won't have to put up with anyone's shit. You'll be eighteen, and I'm not going to have to listen to anyone."

He walked off, Bankotsu following closely after him, and pushed the door to his favorite stall open. This stall, at the teachers' dismay , had been 'mysteriously' repainted with bright purple glaze. Even the 'handicap accessible' sign had been pried off and replaced with a 'queers only' sign.

Bankotsu laughed as his boyfriend stepped forward, pulled the sash from his skirt and whisked it his way.  
"You're just about the only one I ever listen to anyway…" Jakotsu confessed, letting his skirt slip right off of his hips. "I can already imagine how hopeless it'll be for anyone else to talk to me once we're out on our own."

"I can imagine too." Bankotsu chuckled, amused by his casual tone.  
As if by instinct, he turned around quickly to close and lock the door before speaking again. "You'll be ten times as indecent too, won't you?"

Jakotsu shrugged. "It's nothing the slutty pieces of filth in this school haven't already seen…" He squinted slightly, trying to form a heart with the bubbles that were forming in the water below.

"Don't shake it more than twice." His boyfriend warned, watching the heart spiral down into the porcelain base. "But I'm not playing." Jakotsu insisted. "I'm making art."

"Sure…"

"Alright, you caught me, love." He sighed, pulling his skirt back up. "Guys with boyfriends as gorgeous as mine should never have to play with themselves!"

Bankotsu ducked as his love suddenly launched himself at him, but only laughed when he caught him, arms wrapped securely around his waist.  
As he covered every inch of the younger man in kisses, Jakotsu questioned him, wondering why he'd come to see him in the first place.

"Well not for this, I promise." He assured, chuckling. "I just wanted my history book."

"Meanie Ban-Kot-Su…" his love pouted between kisses.  
"Not… wanting to make out with his poor, neglected lover…"He finally released him once he was satisfied that he had enough lipstick smudged on his face and neck, then stood back up to ponder over where he may have left the missing text book.

"I should have it for you… by the end of the day; three pm" he decided, pulling his hands back to himself.

"Thank you." Bankotsu bowed, handing his sash back to him.  
Jakotsu took it into his hands, running his fingers adoringly over the silky material.  
"I got this from America!" He bragged, wrapping it fondly around his waist and shaking his hips.

"It's lovely," Bankotsu commented, shaking his head at just how effeminate his boyfriend was now acting. He turned with a laugh and made to leave the stall.  
But he hadn't taken a single step before Jakotsu stopped him, intentionally pushing him up against the door. "Not yet…" he whined, hips pressed to his lover's from behind. "Give me a proper farewell, Aisuru."

* * *

"Wait a minute… Aren't we missing a queer?"

Naraku turned to glare at Hiten, who was staring questionably at the empty seat at the back of the class. "The word 'queer' is an adjective meaning 'strange' or for slang purposes, 'gay', and is therefore not to be used as a noun, you stupid het-bitch."

"Smartass gay-fuck!" Hiten countered, as if he'd expected Naraku's little lecture.

"Snappy." The effeminate man commented, turning to gaze thoughtfully at the same empty seat. "You've been so touchy lately, Hiten. And here I thought you were the least prejudiced of the football players."

"I am." He insisted, "Why else would I talk to you losers?"

"Boredom." Naraku suggested. "But your usual queer, the one that sits back there, has been gone for days. Hadn't you noticed?"

"Well not until now." He shrugged, turning back to look at him.  
"To where?"

"Juvi, probably" Naraku mused, "I don't know what he did. Just heard he's locked up."

"Good" Hiten mumbled, turning away.  
"Why?" Naraku wondered aloud. "Thought you liked Suzaku."

Hiten shook his head.  
"That queer just always reminded me of Bankotsu's fag-friend…"

Naraku laughed as he put the finishing touches on his essay entitled 'The Best Shade of Lipstick Ever Created'. "Funny you should say that," He mumbled, beginning to pack up his supplies. "Because that 'queer'; Suzaku, happened to have a little crush on Jakotsu."

"Well isn't that so great to know?" Hiten scoffed, glaring at the empty desk in the back of the classroom. "Stupid fagmo should've kept Jakotsu away from Bankotsu if he liked him so much…"

"Suzaku wasn't so bad." Naraku commented, interrupting his friend's thoughts.

"I guess he wasn't…"

Both men fell silent, Naraku regarding the younger one with an almost affectionate gaze.  
"You miss him don't you? That's why you've been so grouchy, huh?"

"No." Hiten mumbled, prying his eyes from the seat.  
"I'm just…. Just pissed at Jakotsu… I guess."

"Oh yeah," Naraku grinned.  
"That was your best friend he kissed at the prom last week, wasn't it?"

"Duh. He ruined the entire night with his stupidity! You'd think he'd learned to keep his… urges… to himself!"

"Jakotsu wouldn't hurt a fly. He didn't mean any har-"

"Then he shouldn't have done it!" Hiten fumed. "If he'd controlled his stupid self, then he wouldn't have gotten himself hit and-"

"Pushed. He pushed him off, right?"

"I don't know." Hiten scoffed. "Everyone gave me a different version of the story.  
So basically he went to the prom last week with Bankotsu, thanks to a dare. But then he kissed Bankotsu, Bankotsu pushed or hit him, he fell and hurt himself… or the blood was from the hit… Then he ran off crying, and Bankotsu left to follow him. Everyone said he'd killed himself…"

"That's what I call dying from embarrassment…"  
Naraku mumbled, lying his head on his desk.

"And what I'd call a perfectly great prom ruined by a perfectly stupid person."  
Hiten concluded. "And all of my friends are pissed at him, even more than I am.  
They said today's their payback day."

"Oh?" Naraku whispered, interest piqued. "How will they get payback?"

"I dunno." Hiten shrugged. "But I told them the best thing would be to hit the  
two-hundred hall girls' bathroom. It's Jakotsu's favorite… I'll stop by after I change for practice and see if they actual do it, I guess."

"Can I come see too?" His nosy classmate questioned, causing Hiten to raise an eyebrow at him. "It's just a trashed bathroom…."

Naraku offered him a gentle smile, then closed his eyes to take his daily fifth period beauty-rest nap. "Guess we're both bored without our Suzaku, huh?"

Hiten sighed, taking his example.  
"He'd better just come back soon and amuse us…"

* * *

Bankotsu sat boredly in the silent, sound proof counselor's office. He was isolated from the other students by the heavy sound proof door which was meant to maintain confidentiality. But so far all it had done was accentuate the loud ticking of the clock on the wall which seemed insistent on never striking three pm. That was when, just as they'd agreed, he and Jakotsu would meet again in his favorite bathroom and he could finally get his history book back.

That was, unless Jakotsu wasn't able to find it. And chances were, he wouldn't.  
He'd probably just apologize with that usual little grin on his face and then distract his pissed boyfriend with a long make-out session.

Which was fine with Bankotsu… But in that case, he'd need to take Jakotsu home first, because Hiten had said he'd be in that very bathroom by three-thirty…

Bankotsu grinned, hopping up from his seat just as the clock struck three pm.  
But before he'd reached the door, he was interrupted by his counselor, who had not quite finished talking to him.

"Wait a moment now, Bankotsu!" She gasped, standing. "Are you telling me that you really can't remember why you've been so upset lately?!"

He bowed apologetically as he turned back to face her. "I guess I can't." He shrugged. "But you know, I think the real problem is just that everyone thinks I'm upset, when I'm really… not, I guess."

"Well it still sounds like denial to me…." She sighed. "But I'll tell you what. I think the best person for you to talk to would be that friend of yours who you said was acting really strange and scared lately. I think it sounds like he might know what's going on…"

"Funny." Bankotsu laughed. "Cuz I was just about to go see him."

"Well good then." She offered him a kind smile. "Then you tell that teacher of yours that this session was a successful one, and to let you come back sometime, you hear?"

"Sure." He turned, hurrying from the room. "Thanks!"

He sighed, rolling his eyes. Of course he was stressed. After he and Jakotsu had caused such a scene at the prom. He had figured this out during the hours of sitting in that sickeningly tidy white office. No wonder everyone had been staring and whispering.

He was the boy that let the school queer kiss him.

Swearing silently to never let himself slip up like that again, he hurried away from the office, ignoring his counselor.

She had followed him to the door, waving happily as he ran down the almost deserted hallway. "Where did the other kids go? Maybe class isn't out yet?…"  
She wondered, checking her wristwatch. "Oh, my goodness… the office clock is almost thirty minutes slow! Hope Bankotsu hasn't missed his ride…"

She thought of pursuing him, but shrugged it off.  
"I'm sure Bankotsu's friend is still waiting though." But as she turned to return to her room, something caught her attention. The sound of wet footsteps seemed to be echoing down the hallway, and when she whipped back around to investigate, she was met with a very panicked student, who seemed to be soaked with water.

"Oh darling- young lady, what have you been doing?!" She scolded, pulling the sopping 'girl' into her room. "You're absolutely soak-"

"Don't you call me darling!"

She raised an eyebrow at the livid student, who revealed himself to be a very feminine-looking young man. "Oh, it's you, Naraku…."

"Lemme go!" He insisted, struggling from her grip.  
"I have to find that school officer police guy! The bathroom! I think Jakotsu's…"

He trailed off, growling in the effort of trying to free himself.  
"What do you mean officer? Don't you need a plumber?" She mused, but Naraku was definitely not amused. "I said police you stupid hoe!" He screamed, struggling out of her grip.  
Shocked at his language, she finally released his wrist, moving out of his way as he bolted back into the hallway, trailing water all across the ground.

"Really!" Sighing, she hurried over to her desk. 'Why do my students never tell me what's wrong with them?' She pulled her PA system's microphone from the desk, speaking into it. "Officer Kyoukotsu, I believe we have a seriously vandalized boys' bathroom that needs your attention…"

* * *

Bankotsu gazed up as the speakers echoed through the hall.  
"Mrs. I-Suck-At-Counseling?" He wondered aloud. "Why would she send a police officer to a bathroom?" For a moment, he contemplated returning to her office, but stopped himself. "Surely that dumb Kyoukotsu won't go to Jakotsu's bathroom instead of all the other ones in the school…"

Despite this idea, Bankotsu found himself nearly running down the deserted halls, toward his boyfriend's favorite bathroom. He was late, he had realized, catching glances at the empty classrooms on either side of him. So he didn't slow down until he passed officer Kyoukotsu, who was hurrying off in the other direction.

He was just as anxious, however, and pushed the door of the girl's bathroom open, much less inconspicuously than he should've.

Unfortunately, though, it seemed like no one was inside.  
And as he took a long glance around, Bankotsu realized why.

The once orderly, overly-sanitary girls' bathroom had been transformed into a graffiti-covered wreck. The large mirror over the sinks had many cracks in it, the sinks themselves had been clogged with toilet paper and were overflowing so that the water poured steadily onto the ground. This murky water had risen many inches along the walls, which were spray-painted with many illegible words and symbols.

He suddenly remembered Hiten's words. It must have been past three thirty…

"This is my gift?"

Bankotsu took a wet step forward, looking around at the surface of the water. It seemed that many girls' possessions had been dropped to float in it. Among these items were tubes of lipstick, similar cosmetics, and, to Bankotsu's surprised disgust, his own History Textbook.

Grudgingly, he pulled the sopping book from the ground, double-checking the name on the front cover. Of course, as luck would have it, it seemed his boyfriend had left his book in the bathroom, and had not even stayed behind to wait for him…

With a scoff, Bankotsu dropped the book, suddenly angry.  
Sure he'd been late to the meeting they'd agreed on, but did Jakotsu really have to just leave it there?  
He stood, kicking the book aside, but as he turned to leave, he realized he couldn't. Though he was severely disappointed, Bankotsu couldn't bring himself to leave his love's favorite bathroom in such horrible condition.

The least he could do was turn off the rapidly flowing water faucets.  
Officer Kyoukotsu would see to the rest, even though it was strange for a police officer to have been called to a janitor's job…

One at a time, Bankotsu unclogged and turned each faucet off, but the sound of running water didn't completely fade. Instead of the dry silence he had expected, a wet sloshing sound continued, echoing lowly on the ruined walls.  
He peered down the aisle of bathroom stalls, curiosity getting the better of him.

Immediately, he realized that almost every door had been pulled down to hang off its hinges. One door was even on the ground just barely visible, floating in the murky water which covered the floor tiles.

The water was still rising…

"Are the toilets running too?" Bankotsu wondered aloud. And as he became more confused with his 'gift', he began to walk cautiously down the aisle, examining each of the broken stalls. He couldn't help but hope that at least some of the graffiti on them would be readable. Perhaps it would give him a hint as to why the hell Hiten would have assumed he'd want a wrecked bathroom for a gift.

To his slight relief, he found the stalls to be spray-painted with the initials of the people who had obviously caused this devastation.  
As he looked over each stall, checking one silent toilet after another, he began to recognize the initials of people he knew; his friends, no less. And the final stall, the only one which still had a door intact, held the most graffiti. This was the most neatly written, and also held the most familiar initials. J.K.

"Jakotsu Kujaku? Aisuru?…" Bankotsu whispered, disbelieving.

His boyfriend's name had been sprayed many times, all along the door of his favorite stall. But why? Why would his Jakotsu be involved? Would he have caused such destruction to his favorite room and then proudly signed it with proof?

Bankotsu sighed, confusion riddling his mind as he ran a hand over the drying letters, his fingers sliding over a strangely rough surface.  
Taking a closer look at the area beneath these fingers, Bankotsu read the words which had been carved there. "Remember: Four twenty-two…"

He mumbled this number repeatedly under his breath. 'My locker number?' was his first thought, but he couldn't fathom why anyone would leave the message of remembering a locker.

"Oh, duh, Baka!" He suddenly laughed, slapping himself on the forehead. "The prom was April twenty-second!" Hiten, and apparently a couple of his other friends, had trashed the bathroom to create a memento for their disastrous prom.

"How immature…"

Bankotsu turned, intending to find Hiten and reprimand him for the creation of such a stupid 'gift', but he had barely taken two steps before tripping and falling onto the wet floor. Cursing he tried to stand, but found that his foot had gotten caught on something floating in the depths of the murky water, which now soaked his knees. His jeans were stained a sickening brown color.

Silently hoping that the water was murky with only paint and debris, Bankotsu turned and freed himself. But when his hands met the silken material that'd tripped him, he took his appreciation back.

What else, but his boyfriend's precious kimono sash could've been floating here, ruined with red paint? Even more disgusted with his best friend's 'gift', Bankotsu began to wind the sash around his hand, wringing it out, but soon he realized that it was caught on something. So he began to tug on it to find what it'd caught on.

To his annoyance, the sash led his hand right under the door of the stall, and when he tried to pull it open, he found it to be locked. Still he searched for a way to pull it free, knowing that even though it was Jakotsu's fault for forgetting it, he'd be very upset if he never got it back.

Bankotsu tried to push the door open, but it seemed as if something were blocking it on the other side. More wreckage perhaps… He then gave the door a firm pull. A metallic clink met his ears and he bent over to retrieve the source. A sharp, silver knife, probably the one used to carve the message, had been wedged into the door, preventing it from opening. Determined to yank it open, Bankotsu dropped the sash, fixing his hold securely on the handle, with one foot to the wall.  
With a powerful yank, he managed to break the knife, but when he released the handle, the door swung heavily back, hitting him.

"Oh, god damnit!" He hissed, stepping away from the door, which he could've sworn had just broken his nose.  
'Shouldn't have pulled so hard…' he guessed. But as he backed up, the door continued to slide open, of its own accord until finally, the heavy object which had evidently been pushing it, slid into the water before the stall.

Immediately fear overtook him, causing his muscles to lock up. The unmistakable form of a human body had just slid into the water before him. The hand-knit sash was wrapped around its face like a mummy's bandages.

Forcing himself into action, Bankotsu dove forward, retrieving the unmoving form from the ground. His heart beat so hard it would surely burst from his chest, as he pulled the sash away.  
It's owner, Bankotsu's precious lover, lay limp and frigid in his arms.

"Jakotsu…"

(AN. Chapter two is in the works and will be posted as soon as possible! For those of you who are new to the series, please note that this is a sequel which may or may not be able to stand alone. The Original Never Again is my crowning achievement when it comes to fanfiction and I would be most honored if you would consider reading that as well! I was careful to ensure that if you were to read the sequel first it would make the original even more enjoyable! You'll see what I mean! Until next time.)


	24. Out Of Murky Water

disclaimer  
I, Kagura Fuujinnomai do not own Bankotsu, Jakotsu, or any of the other characters associated with the Inuyasha series.  
(Although I wish I did own those adorable, wonderful, super kawaii, sexy little sons of...ahem! anyways)  
I get nothing from writing my Fanfics.  
I am simply a fangirl who wishes to share her passion with the rest of the world  
- sincerely,

Kagura Fuujinnomai

(AN. After months of hiatus, Never Again has finally come back home. To everyone that emailed me, requesting a continuation; here is your answer. Yes, yes and yes! I live for you, my readers.

This is the final chapter! Please note that this is a flashback. It tells the story of Bankotsu's final day of highschool and just as requested, answers some nagging questions.

As always, please Read, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy. )

**Never Again: Chapter 25: Out of Murky Water  
**

"Jakotsu…" The word had fallen from his trembling lips before he could stop it.  
"Jakotsu! Jakotsu!" But Bankotsu's lover did not stir.

For a moment he could only stare in horrid disbelief at the love of his life, whose eyes were shut gently, eyelashes ruined with dark purple mascara which shone sickeningly against his deathly pale skin.

But then, shaking the shock from his body, Bankotsu stood on his knees, catching hold of Jakotsu, and pulling him onto his lap, out of the cold water.  
He held him as closely as he could, trying to share the warmth of his body with that of the limp man in his arms.

Warm relief filled his heart as the sound of Jakotsu's breathing met his ears. It was uneven and shaky, but it was an unmistakable sign of life.

Still he wracked his brain, wondering what the hell was going on.  
Why the hell had his lover been sitting against the door, soaked with water, and surrounded by wet paint in that stall? Surely it had been the fumes given off by that very paint, which had caused him to lose consciousness. So why stay in the stall?

Even now, Bankotsu could see plenty of reddish paint smudged over his lover's shirt.  
The one that'd once held elegant designs and kanji painted across the front…

Ruined. What a foolish thing for Jakotsu to have done…

"Aisuru, wake up." He mumbled, annoyed at having grown so sick with worry.  
He gave Jakotsu's shoulders a firm shake, pulling him closer. But he did not stir.  
Jakotsu merely continued to take quiet, shivering breaths and his eyes remained closed.

"He's too cold." Bankotsu realized. He reached into the water around him, finally locating one of the stopped up drains on the ground. He pulled the wad of toilet paper out and the cold water began to slowly drain. This completed, he turned to remove his lover's ruined and soaked clothes. One by one he peeled them carefully from his limp body. Modesty had never mattered to Jakotsu anyway…

First removing the infamous sash and sliding his kimono from his shoulders, Bankotsu continually rubbed his hands along his skin, trying to warm it up.  
Next, he began to pull off his love's shirt, rolling it up, over the cold skin of his stomach.

But halfway into doing this, Bankotsu's fingers froze up, his gaze having fallen on the source of the 'red paint' which had ruined the shirt.

He suddenly recognized this brownish liquid to be not paint, but blood.  
Blood which he'd unknowingly been allowing to flow into the murky water they sat in.  
Jakotsu was unconscious, not due to stupidly remaining in a room filled with paint fumes, but to a heavy loss of blood.

"Oh God…" Bankotsu whispered, unable to move. As his shivering hands finally regained their strength, he moved to completely reveal a large wound on his lovers lower stomach. Letters had been cut in a diagonal row, incorrectly spelling out a word Bankotsu had read one too many times.

"F-A-G-I-T"

Reality hit him, hard, as he put the pieces together in his mind.  
His lover was in very dangerous condition, and it was all because his so-called best friends had given a gift to make up for a ruined prom.

It was vengeance, offered to him on a silver platter.  
For making one mistake at that stupid dance, his lover had been punished with this:

A bloody death.

"Ai- Aisuru get up!"  
He spoke again, loudly, his voice more shaky than his love's shivering breath.  
And again he shook him by the shoulders, growing desperate to pull him back into consciousness. But Jakotsu only replied with that same shaky, gagged breathing.  
"Get up!" Bankotsu begged, beginning to put pressure on his lover's chest.  
CPR class seemed decades away. But his hands moved in the motions he thought he'd never need, and he bent down to put his lips to Jakotsu's, voice breaking.  
"Please! Aisu… ai…! Get up Jakotsu!"

Finally, as if an electric shock had gone through him, Jakotsu drew a deep, quivering breath, only to begin coughing.  
His lover moved quickly to roll him over in his lap, allowing the water to drizzle from his mouth. But he soon forced him onto his back, unable to stand not seeing his face.

Bankotsu pulled Jakotsu into a sitting position, holding him close to himself as he finally began to show more signs of consciousness.

Jakotsu moved slowly, grasping weakly at his lover's clothes.  
He was wracked again and again with rancid coughs and choked uncontrollably on his breath.  
His head spun mercilessly and searing pain continued to shoot through his body, the letters burning on his torso.

He moaned unintelligibly to his love, just as darkness threatened to overtake him, and Bankotsu was forced to throw his arms around him, just in time to stop him falling onto the hard linoleum.

"Aisuru, you have to stay awake." He warned, pulling his injured lover securely to himself. But Jakotsu merely began to cough again, trying to pull away from him.  
His lover's chest was pressed painfully against the bloody wounds on his own, and he dazedly wished to return to the numbing cold water.

Still Bankotsu held him against his will, but realized how powerless he was to help his precious friend. Jakotsu was wet and heavy, bleeding profusely, and fighting against him.

"Help, help…" He moaned, realizing that the cell phone in his back pocket was undoubtedly already ruined by the water he'd sat in.

Jakotsu stopped struggling, but pulled back, shivering violently as Bankotsu tried again to lift the older, taller man from the ground.

'If I leave him here to get help…' He shook the thought away before it surfaced.

"Help…" The hot tears stung his eyes as Jakotsu ceased his efforts to move. He was now shivering uncontrollably, unable to do anything else. Still Bankotsu persisted. He tried time and again to pull his sopping, weighed down lover farther from the source of the filthy water, making little progress, and just as hopeless panic began to cloud his mind, the sound of the bathroom door sliding open met his ears.

Bankotsu turned to call out to whoever had come into the room, but the words caught in his throat as his 'help' rounded the corner.

Hiten, eyes wide with worry, hurried over to him but froze staring around in shock.  
"I thought Naraku was lying…" He whispered, eyes set on the injured man in his best friend's lap. "I thought- I thought the guys were just gonna…"  
He silenced himself, reaching out to help Bankotsu up. "Let's get him out of-"

"Don't touch him!"

Hiten pulled his hand back, shocked by the vicious retort his friend had just shot him.  
"But Bankotsu, I just want to help…"

"This is your fault!" He hissed, clutching his lover fiercely as he began to move away from him. "You and your monster friends…" Hot tears ran freely down his cheeks now, rolling off his chin. "I can't believe…" He choked, trying desperately to lift Jakotsu.

"I love you." Bankotsu whispered, holding the limp man still closer. "Don't die, I love you, I love you." He repeated, as if chanting.

Hiten stood, too shocked to do anything, despite how badly he wanted to help him.  
The voice in his head shrieked with disbelief. 'He loves him… He loves him?! '

He reached down again but Bankotsu pulled away, sobbing into the older man's dark hair.  
If his precious Jakotsu was going to die, it would not be in the arms of the man who'd caused it!

"I- I mean I didn't-" Hiten stammered, being rebuffed yet again, "How was I supposed to know?!" But Bankotsu said nothing, refusing to even look at him. Silence fell between the two former best friends, broken only by the younger man's anguished sobbing.

Dread pooled inside of Hiten, swirling much like the frigid, cloudy water he stood in. Never had he imagined that Bankotsu had fallen in love with this effeminate man who he rarely even mentioned.

'But no wonder', he thought bitterly, eyes cast down at his ruined white cleats. Suddenly he bitterly regretted the uniform he'd so happily sported.

Just as he reached out again, the bathroom door crashed open behind him. He took a mechanical step to the side as officer Kyoukotsu and Naraku hurried past him, both kneeling to aid the sobbing teenager.

And their help was readily accepted.

The garbled radio on the officer's hip said something about an ambulance, but Hiten didn't understand it. His best friend stood as Kyoukotsu and Naraku carried Jakotsu from the room.

Bankotsu brushed past him, gritting out only one thing.

"I hate you."

* * *

Bankotsu lie in the bathtub, a bottle of sake hanging loosely in his hand. He was shivering slightly, despite the heat of the foamy water around him. Just yesterday he had resigned himself to clean out his closet. The skeletons still lay in pieces on the floor, and he was at a total loss for what to do next. The only thing he was certain of was the fear. The fear that caused his shivering, the truth that he'd buried so many years ago.

He tried again to tell himself that Inuyasha wouldn't hate him for it, but it was useless.

Somewhere in his mind a loud voice bugged him still. He couldn't stand for his friends to know about him. What if… what if he got Jakotsu hurt for it again?

Memories of high school had suddenly flooded his mind, after being pent up for so long.  
The truth he had been hiding; the source of his anxiety and fear threatened to surface.

He knew what had to be done but hesitated, no longer allowing that small glimmer of hope to blind him. All that was left was the paralyzing fear.  
He was terrified of letting Jakotsu remain in America. Hiten would be there… The two of them together made Bankotsu physically ill because unlike Jakotsu, he remembered high school like it was yesterday.

Hiten, his so-called best friend who had betrayed him on their last day of high school.

The water he sat in seemed cold, suddenly and for a moment Bankotsu imagined the horrid vision of his lover floating in those murky depths.

He shook his head fretfully, dunking his head into the water. 'If I had the choice', he thought bitterly to himself, watching the little rubber ducks bob around him. 'I'd never have let Jakotsu go anywhere near Hiten again…

Not for all the world.'

The End

(AN. And with that, Never Again has come to a Crashing halt. It's sequel, Not For All The World is already posted for your viewing pleasure.

Ja ne, my precious friends!)


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